Minnesota lost an incredible leader by horrific violence on June 14. She cared deeply for the people of Minnesota and was always respectful and thoughtful.
Sign made by my niece.
Here’s an excerpt from a statement from Sophie and Colin Hortman, the children of Melissa and Mark Hortman:
“If you would like to honor the memory of Mark and Melissa, please consider the following:
Plant a tree.
Visit a local park and make use of their amenities, especially a bike trail.
Pet a dog. A golden retriever is ideal, but any will do.
Tell your loved ones a cheesy dad joke and laugh about it.
Bake something — bread for Mark or a cake for Melissa, and share it with someone.
Try a new hobby and enjoy learning something.
Stand up for what you believe in, especially if that thing is justice and peace.
…The best way to honor our parents’ memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.”
Below is from Patrick Coolican, Minnesota Reformer, https://minnesotareformer.com/
| y J. Patrick Coolican | Editor-in-chiefSATURDAY, June 14, 2025 |
| The American nightmare has arrived in Minnesota. Democratic House leader Melissa Hortman was shot and killed . I knew Melissa Hortman well. Michelle and I sat down with her Thursday for a 30-minute off-the-record conversation. I respect a lot of elected officials, but I admire few. I admired Melissa Hortman. Despite her achievements, she was never self-important. She knew that average Minnesotans had no clue who she was, but that didn’t stop her from doing everything she could to make their lives better. She could be wonderfully blunt. Among my first interactions with her when she became minority leader in 2017, she commented on a profile I’d written of a Republican political operative, calling it, “the journalistic equivalent of a,” well, I can’t publish it, but you can imagine. After I wrote a column in 2019 that proclaimed it was time to stop underestimating Melissa Hortman, she told me, “Whew, I needed a cigarette after reading that one.” She had a wonderfully salty mouth and sense of humor. In the political and legislative sphere, she cared about the work and only the work. And when the work was done, she cared about her family and golden retrievers. We lost a good one. J. Partick Coolican |
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