Betty Jo Nelsen

Betty Jo Nelsen
Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service
In office January 16, 1990 – November 6, 1992
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	S. Anna Kondratas
Succeeded by	Andrew P. Hornsby Jr. (Acting)
Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office January 5, 1987 – January 3, 1989
Preceded by	Tommy Thompson
Succeeded by	David Prosser Jr.
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office January 7, 1985 – January 12, 1990
Preceded by	Spencer Coggs
Succeeded by	Alberta Darling
Constituency	10th District
In office January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1985
Preceded by	William J. Rogers
Succeeded by	Gary J. Schmidt
Constituency	5th District
In office July 24, 1979 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by	Rod Johnston
Succeeded by	Spencer Coggs
Constituency	10th District
Personal details
Born	(1935-10-11)October 11, 1935 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	October 17, 2024(2024-10-17) (aged 89)
Political party	Republican
Children	3
Residence	Shorewood, Wisconsin
Education	Massachusetts State College (BS)

Betty Jo Nelsen (October 11, 1935 – October 17, 2024) was an American politician and who served as Minority Leader of the Wisconsin State Assembly. A Republican, she represented the northeastern suburbs of Milwaukee from 1979 until 1990 in the Assembly. She left the Assembly to accept an appointment in the administration of President George H. W. Bush as Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture.

Background

Nelsen was born on October 11, 1935. She graduated from Dedham High School, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1957.

Nelson was married with three children and resided in Shorewood, Wisconsin.[1] She died on October 17, 2024, at the age of 89.[2]

Career

Nelsen was first elected to the Assembly as a Republican in a special election in July 1979. She was chosen by the Republican caucus as Minority Leader for the 1987-1988 session of the Assembly. Nelsen was re-elected five times, and remained a member of the Assembly until 1990, when she resigned to accept appointment to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service in Washington, D.C.[3]

President George H. W. Bush appointed her as Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service within the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 1990. She served in that role until the days after Bush's defeat in the 1992 presidential election, when she resigned and returned to the Milwaukee area. During 1992, President Bush had nominated her to become Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Food and Consumer Services as well as a member of the board of directors of the Commodity Credit Corporation, but her nomination did not receive a vote by the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and was returned without action when the Senate adjourned in October 1992.[4][5]

After returning to Wisconsin, she was appointed by Governor Tommy Thompson to serve on the state Natural Resources Board.[6]

References

1. "Nelsen, Betty Jo 1935". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
2. "Betty Jo Nelsen". Feerick Funeral Home. October 23, 2024.
3. Beck, Joe (January 22, 1990). "Nelsen closes career chapter". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 7. Retrieved July 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Nomination of Betty Jo Nelsen To Be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture". White House Press Secretary (Press release). March 16, 1992. Retrieved July 25, 2020 – via The American Presidency Project.
5. "PN959 — Betty Jo Nelsen — Department of Agriculture". Congress.gov. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
6. "DNR Appointees". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. May 8, 1993. p. 2. Retrieved July 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Rod Johnston	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 10th district July 24, 1979 – January 3, 1983	Succeeded by Spencer Coggs
Preceded by William J. Rogers	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 5th district January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1985	Succeeded by Gary J. Schmidt
Preceded by Spencer Coggs	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 10th district January 7, 1985 – January 12, 1990	Succeeded by Alberta Darling
Preceded by Tommy Thompson	Minority Leader of the Wisconsin State Assembly January 5, 1987 – January 3, 1989	Succeeded by David Prosser Jr.
Government offices
Preceded by S. Anna Kondratas	Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service January 16, 1990 – November 6, 1992	Succeeded by Andrew P. Hornsby Jr. (Acting)