Funeral arrangements made for North Dakota attorney general

February 1, 2022

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Funeral arrangements have been made for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem who died last week.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Bismarck Event Center Exhibit Hall. Visitation will take place Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the North Dakota State Capitol Great Hall. Both are open to the public, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

Stenehjem, a former legislator and the state’s longest-serving attorney general, died at age 68, just hours after he was taken to a hospital Friday, according to his office. No cause of death has been made public.

Stenehjem spent 24 years in the Legislature before being elected attorney general in 2000, then winning five more times. In that long career, he supported an overhaul of North Dakota’s court system, laws against domestic violence, consumer protection measures and legislation to keep North Dakota’s government meetings and records open to the public.

He announced last month he would not seek another term. He said he wanted to spend more time traveling and with his family. He echoed concerns from several other retiring politicians about an increase in vitriolic social media criticism of politicians.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Northern Lights Council Boy Scouts of America, Bismarck State College Foundation, the Abused Adult Resource Center, UND’s Christus Rex Lutheran Campus Ministry, or another charity.