Ben Tollefson, a former state legislator who had been active for many years in the Minot community, died Thursday in a Minot assisted living center.

Tollefson, 94, served in the North Dakota House from 1985-2000 and in the Senate from 2001-2008. A Republican,Tollefson first ran for office in Minot’s former District 40/50, a combined district with four representatives and two senators. The districts were separated after 1990, and Tollefson represented District 38.

Tollefson sat on the Natural Resources Committees in both the House and Senate, serving as vice chairman of the Senate committee in the 2007 session. He also was vice chairman of the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee in 2007.

Early on, he became involved in legislation affecting North Dakota’s lignite industry. One of his bills led to creation of the Lignite Research, Development and Marketing Program under the Industrial Commission. He was among legislators who pushed for a permanent oil trust fund, which voters later approved as the Legacy Fund.

Tollefson shied away from leadership after serving as House assistant majority leader in 1991 because he felt it took him away from the nitty gritty of the work.

He attended Minot State University and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He spent his career with NSP, now a subsidiary of Xcel Energy.

Among accolades earned over the years were Jaycee Man of the Year, Clara Barton Award from the American Red Cross and the Meritorious Service Award from N.D. Power Use Council. He had been involved with Kiwanis, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and Minot Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on the chamber’s Energy Committee.

He raised four children with his wife of 72 years, Lila, who died last April.

Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot, is in charge of arrangements.