/mdva/assets/2019-09-19-commissioner-herke-official_tcm1066-403319.pngSt. Paul, Minn. – Former Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) Commissioner Larry Herke passed away on Friday, Sept.13., 2024. Commissioner Herke retired in September 2023 due to an ALS diagnosis.

“We send our deepest condolences to Commissioner Herke’s family and express our gratitude for his service to Minnesota Veterans and their families,” says Commissioner Brad Lindsay. “He was a dedicated public servant who spread his passion for improving the lives of our Veterans to all who worked alongside him.”

Retired Colonel Larry Herke was appointed as the 18th Commissioner of MDVA in January 2019 by Governor Tim Walz and reappointed in January 2023 to a second term. Herke served for more than 30 years as a member of the United States Army and Minnesota National Guard. After retiring from the National Guard in 2016, he led the Office of Enterprise Sustainability for the State of Minnesota. In this position he assisted all 24 cabinet-level state agencies in developing sustainability plans to save money, conserve resources and improve the environment.

Herke held a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration and Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, both from Minnesota State University - Mankato. He was also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and holds several certifications.

He was actively involved in various organizations, serving as a Board Member of the Minnesota Military and Veteran’s Museum, an Assistant Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the Grey Eagle United Methodist Church, VFW, AMVETS, Jewish War Vets, and the American Legion, where he was a Life Member.

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About MDVA
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is a cabinet-level state agency dedicated to serving Minnesota Veterans and their families. In addition to overseeing the five State Veterans Homes, MDVA helps eligible Veterans and families secure state and federal benefits and provides programs and services relating to higher education, benefits, burial, claims, outreach and Veterans employment. Veterans and their families are encouraged to visit www.MinnesotaVeteran.org or call 1-(888)-LinkVet for more information about benefits.