Herman Rolfes


Herman Harold Rolfes was a Saskatchewan educator and politician who has held provincial office, as a former member of the Saskatchewan provincial legislature. He has won a number of significant recognized awards and honours over his lifetime career.

Life before politics

The son of Joseph Rolfes and Josephine Heckmann, he was educated at St. Peter's College, at the Saskatoon Teacher's College and at the University of Saskatchewan. He served as principal for a number of elementary schools and as director of guidance for Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon. In 1961, Rolfes married Myrna Josephine Hopfner.

Politics

Rolfes was a member of the Saskatchewan, Canada, branch of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, a social democratic political party, and its successor, the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party. He was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Saskatoon Nutana South 1971 to 1975 term and served with Premier Allan Blakeney. Again he was elected for the Saskatoon Buena Vista electoral riding for the 1975 until 1978 when he was re-elected in the same riding again with Premier Allan Blakeney, NDP and served until 1982. Under Allan Blakeney, NDP he was appointed Minister of Social Services, Minister of Continuing Education and finally as Minister of Health. 1982 when he was defeated, and Grant Devine, PC became the elected Premier. Herman Rolfes ran and won again in Saskatoon South in 1986 and 1991. Herman Harold Rolfes was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan or the presiding officer of the Saskatchewan legislature from 1991 to 1996.
Rolfes was a member of the Board of Governors for the University of Saskatchewan 1997-2003. Prior to his political career, he was a teacher in the Saskatchewan Catholic School system, elementary school principal and high school counsellor. He has also been a former appointed Saskatchewan Minister of Social Services, Saskatchewan Minister of Continuing Education, and Saskatchewan Minister of Health.