Office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard

500 E. Capitol Ave.

Pierre, S.D. 57501

(605) 773-3212

www.sd.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Monday, February 13, 2017

CONTACT:  Tony Venhuizen or Kelsey Pritchard at 605-773-3212

Former Congressman Clint Roberts Passes Away

PIERRE, S.D. – Clint Roberts, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota, died last night in Pierre. Roberts, 82, represented South Dakota’s second congressional district in the U.S. House from 1981 to 1983. 

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Congressman Clint Roberts,” said Gov. Daugaard. “Throughout his years in the Legislature, in Congress and in state government, Clint brought good humor and common sense to his work. Clint and his family are good friends, and Linda and I extend our thoughts and prayers to Clint’s family.”

Roberts was born on Jan. 30, 1935, in Lyman County, South Dakota, and spent his life on his family’s ranch. Roberts served in the state Senate from 1973 to 1979. As a state senator, he served as assistant minority leader from 1975 to 1976 and as president pro tempore from 1977 to 1978. After a campaign for the Republican nomination for governor in 1978, Roberts served as South Dakota’s secretary of agriculture from 1979 to 1980, during the administration of Gov. William J. Janklow.

In 1980, Roberts was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the state’s second congressional district, which included the western portion of the state. He narrowly lost reelection in 1982 after the state lost its second district. Roberts again ran for governor in 1986, finishing a close second to George S. Mickelson, and served in Mickelson’s administration as director of the South Dakota Energy Office.

Roberts’ funeral will be held at 11 a.m. CST on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, at the First United Methodist Church in Pierre followed by a luncheon. Burial will be at the Presho Cementary to be followed with cookies and prayers at the Presho Methodist Church.

Gov. Daugaard requests that all flags in South Dakota fly at half-staff on Friday, Feb. 17, the day of Rep. Roberts’ funeral.

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