Cameron McMahon was a Bemidji trailblazer

Cameron McMahon

The first woman elected to the City Council, she held to her convictions and "had moxie," says her daughter. "A force to be reckoned with," McMahon also was a radio host and served on numerous boards, committees and charitable organizations.

By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune

Last update: October 27, 2009 - 8:57 PM

After funeral services today at St. Philip's Catholic Church in Bemidji, Minn., Cameron McMahon will be buried in the family plot a few miles away. She will be taken there on a 1930s Pirsch fire truck, a vehicle that exemplifies the woman known for her fiery personality who was the first woman elected to the Bemidji City Council.

"She was a trailblazer in our community," said Mary Melchoir, McMahon's friend of nearly 45 years. "She was a force to be reckoned with. She had strong opinions and stood up for them. She was fun, and was quite a character. Bemidji is a much better place because of her."

McMahon, whose nickname was Cammy, died of congestive heart failure Thursday at Havenwood Care Center in Bemidji. She was 84.

McMahon made headlines in 1971 when she ran for an at-large seat on the council and won, beating out five male opponents. Her unique campaign strategy included handing out cards that showcased family recipes for mile-high strawberry pie or beef stew, and carried the slogan "Try this recipe for better government." She served on the council from 1971 to 1978 and was never afraid to speak her mind, even when she was in the minority, said her daughter, Mary McMahon of St. Paul.

"A lot of people didn't agree with her politics, and sometimes she even got death threats," her daughter said. "She held to her convictions. She had moxie."

A staunch Democrat, Cameron was not afraid to tackle problems, relished a good debate, looked out for the underdog and was there for the common person, said longtime friend Faye Trihey.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, Cameron McMahon's voice was heard on KBUN-AM. She hosted a program called "Inside Books," later renamed "Challenge." She discussed some of her favorite interests, including poetry, good books and food, Mary McMahon said.

Cameron was born in Oakland, Maine, where fresh out of high school she worked as a newspaper reporter for the Waterville Morning Sentinel and the Lewiston Daily Sun. She arrived in Bemidji in 1957 after she married Jim, who founded the Journalism Department at Bemidji State University.

McMahon was actively involved in the northern Minnesota community, serving on myriad boards and giving time to charitable organizations. She was engaged in fundraising for Habitat for Humanity, served on the airport and housing commission, was an original member of the city's Human Relations Committee, and was a support group leader for widows and widowers. For seven years she was a member of the Bemidji Library Board, and was instrumental in reorganizing and moving the city's library to its second-to-last location near St. Philip's School, Mary said.

Her résumé included working as public relations director for the Paul Bunyan Playhouse and acting in one of its productions, "Harvey." She was newsletter editor for the Beltrami County Minnesota Mental Health Association, and a leader in 4-H. She was elected to the Bemidji Hall of Fame in 1996, and in 2005 she was awarded a lifetime membership to the Beltrami County DFL for her years of work and dedication, Mary said.

McMahon loved throwing St. Patrick's Day bashes. She also enjoyed good books, plays and food, friends said.

In addition to her daughter, she is survived by two brothers, Philip of Chamberlain, Maine, and John of Pittsboro, N.C. Her husband preceded her in death.

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