SJU alumnus and Professor of Public Policy John Brandl '59 dies

John Brandl, a 1959 graduate of Saint John’s University and a former Minnesota legislator, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict, and professor and former dean of the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, passed away Monday, Aug. 18 in Minneapolis. Brandl was also a regent at Saint John's University from 1991-2000.

"The Saint John's community is saddened by the death of alumnus, colleague, former Regent and beloved friend John Brandl," said Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB, president of Saint John's University. "John Brandl was a giant in Minnesota politics and economics. He combined a brilliant mind for scholarship with an unusual ability to apply theory and research as a public servant in numerous policy-making positions, both in Minnesota and at the national level. He had an abiding faith in the capacity of Benedictine values to foster decency, integrity and generosity. The wisdom and balance John demonstrated throughout his life provide enduring inspiration for all."

Brandl graduated cum laude from Saint John’s with a degree in economics and went on to earn a M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of Economic Opportunity, the Economic Development Administration, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. He served 12 years in the Minnesota Legislature.

Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24 at Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapel, 5000 W. 50th and Highway 100, Edina, Minn. The funeral is at noon Monday, Aug. 25 at the Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis, with Fr. Michael O’Connell officiating. Burial is 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26 at Saint John’s Abbey Cemetery, with a reception following in the Great Hall for friends, faculty and staff to greet the family.