Wife Gwen, two kids round out Minnesota’s first family – The Mercury News

By Jessie Van Berkel, The Minnesota Star Tribune

Gov. Tim Walz often mentions his family in speeches and stories, and they have helped influence the Democratic governor’s policies.

Now Minnesota’s first family ― the governor’s wife, Gwen Walz, and their two kids, Hope and Gus — are landing in the national spotlight after Kamala Harris picked Walz as her vice presidential running mate. His family joined him on stage at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night in Chicago.

Here’s a look at the Walz family:

Gwen Walz

Gwen Walz, 58, became the first first lady in Minnesota history to have an office down the hall from the governor. She has been a strong voice on criminal justice reform, gun control measures and education during her husband’s tenure at the State Capitol, speaking at news conferences and pushing for change behind the scenes.

She grew up in Ivanhoe, in western Minnesota. Her parents were educators and small business owners, according to her biography on the governor’s website. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and also has a degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Her first teaching job was in a small city in Nebraska, where she met Walz. She taught English, he taught social studies. On their first date, they went to a movie, followed by dinner at the only restaurant in town that wasn’t a bar: Hardee’s. Their honeymoon was spent on a school trip to China, which they organized for their students.

The couple ended up in Mankato, where Gwen spent more than two decades working for Mankato Area Public Schools as an administrator and coordinator. When her husband was elected to Congress, a partner of another member of Congress introduced her to the Bard Prison Initiative in New York, which helps people in prison access a college education. She since has been a supporter and advocate for that effort.

After Walz was elected governor and the family moved to the Twin Cities, she began working for Augsburg University as a special assistant to the president for strategic partnerships and as a fellow at the school’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship.

Hope and Gus Walz

Hope, 23, graduated last year from Montana State University. She is a social worker in Montana, a spokeswoman for the governor’s office said.

Last year, amid national concerns over access to in vitro fertilization, the governor shared how he and Gwen went through seven years of fertility treatments before she got pregnant. “It’s not by chance that we named our daughter Hope,” Walz said.

Gus, 17, is headed into his senior year at St. Paul Central High School.