Administrative/Biographical History
Stella (Houge) Fritzell was born October 3, 1909, in Bucyrus, North Dakota. She was educated at Cando, North Dakota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1930. She worked as a dietician intern at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. In 1933, she married Dr. Kenneth Fritzell at Aneta, North Dakota. In 1946, they moved to Grand Forks, after having lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as Menlo Park, California, and Glenwood Spring, Colorado. They raised two sons, Peter and Erik, and two daughters, Sara and Anne, who died at the age of 18.
Stella was a stockbroker with Piper, Jaffray, and Hopwood in Grand Forks from 1959 to 1971. In 1972, she was elected to the North Dakota Senate, and re-elected in 1976 and 1980. Fritzell was also a delegate to the state Constitutional Convention in 1972. In addition, she served on many boards and committees, including the state Board of Park Commissioners, the Grand Forks Park Board, the Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission, and in 1979, she was appointed a permanent member of the state judicial nominating committee. In 1975, she was elected chair-woman of the legislative bi-partisan women's caucus. The North Dakota Wildlife Federation named her Legislative Conservationist of the Year for 1976. Fritzell enjoyed hunting, golfing, and painting. Stella Fritzell died April 4, 1984, in Grand Forks at the age of 74.
