Poppen

The AP is reporting that one of the long-serving giants in the state legislature has passed:

Former state Sen. Henry Poppen of DeSmet, a longtime chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee during a 26-year legislative career, died Wednesday. He was 83.

Poppen, a farmer, served in the state Senate from 1967 until 1992, when he chose not to seek re-election. The Republican lawmaker was chairman of the Appropriations Committee for his final 12 years in the Legislature.  ...

Former state Sen. Randy Frederick of Hayti, who followed in Poppen's footsteps to become chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said Poppen was one of his mentors when he was first elected to the Legislature. ...

"You never saw him stomping around or yelling or shouting or shoving his fist or his finger at anybody," Frederick said. "If was really disturbed, he would put his arm around your shoulder and discuss where he thought you were mistaken. That was about as shaken up as Henry ever got."