Memorable Manitobans: Warner Herbert Jorgenson (1918-2005)

Click to enlarge

Warner Herbert Jorgenson
Click to enlarge

Farmer, MP (1957-1958), MP (1958-1962), MP (1962-1963), MP (1963-1965), MP (1966-1968), MLA (1969), MLA (1969-1973), MLA (1973-1977), MLA (1977-1981).

Born at Canora, Saskatchewan on 26 March 1918, son of George Jorgenson and Hilma Naslund, he attended school at Ste-Elizabeth and Dominion City, then became a farmer at Ste-Elizabeth. During the Second World War, he served with the Royal Canadian Signal Corps in the Mediterranean and western fronts. He was a Director of the Manitoba Farmers’ Union (1951-1955).

In 1957, he was elected to the House of Commons for Provencher, re-elected in 1958, 1962, 1963, and 1965, serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture (October 1960 to October 1961, January to April 1962, August 1962 to February 1963). After being defeated in the 1968 general election by Mark Smerchanski, he shifted to provincial politics, being elected to the Morris constituency in a 1968 by-election, and was re-elected in 1969, 1973, and 1977. He served as House Leader (1977-1979), Minister without Portfolio (1977-1978), Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (1978-1979), and Minister of Government Services (1981). He did not seek re-election in the 1981 general election.

Just after the Second World War, he married Corinne Denise “Pat” Jorgenson (1926-1992) in England and came to Canada. They had two daughters and a son. In recognition of his community service, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977).

He died at the Deer Lodge Centre on 30 July 2005 and was buried in the Morris Cemetery.

Sources:

The Canadian Directory of Parliament, 1867-1967, edited by J. K. Johnson, Public Archives of Canada, Ottawa [Library and Archives Canada], 1968.

Obituary [Corinne Denise Jorgenson], Winnipeg Free Press, 19 December 1992, page 64.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 3 August 2005.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (deceased), Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 15 December 2024

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!