George S. Mickelson

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George Speaker Mickelson (January 31, 1941–April 19, 1993) was an American politician from the U.S. state of South Dakota. Mickelson, a Republican, served as the governor of South Dakota from 1987 until his death in a plane crash in 1993. His father, George T. Mickelson, was also a governor of South Dakota, serving from 1947 to 1951. To date, the Mickelsons are the only father-son duo to have ever held that office.

Mickelson was born in Mobridge, South Dakota, and held a law degree from the University of South Dakota. He was a veteran of the United States Army, and his service included a tour of duty in Vietnam. First elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1974, he held office there for six years, serving as Speaker for the final two years. Mickelson successfully ran for governor in 1986 and was re-elected four years later.

On April 19, 1993 Mickelson was one of eight people aboard a State-owned airplane returning to South Dakota from a lobbying effort in Ohio. The plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop, reported engine trouble while flying near Dubuque, Iowa and crashed into a farm silo about nine miles south of that city. All aboard the aircraft were killed. After the crash, Mickelson was succeeded as Governor by then-Lieutenant Governor Walter Dale Miller. Coincidentally, the crash took place on the same day as the end of the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas - an event which overshadowed the crash in national news coverage.

George S. Mickelson Middle School in Brookings is named after him, as is the George S. Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills.

Preceded by: William J. Janklow

Governor of South Dakota 1987–1993

Succeeded by: Walter Dale Miller

Governors of South Dakota
Mellette • Sheldon • Lee • Herreid • Elrod • Crawford • Vessey • Byrne • Norbeck • McMaster • Gunderson • Bulow • Green • Berry • Jensen • Bushfield • Sharpe • G.T. Mickelson • Anderson • Foss • Herseth • Gubbrud • Boe • Farrar • Kneip • Wollman • Janklow • G.S. Mickelson • Miller • Janklow • Rounds