Minnesota is proud of the giants it sends to Washington, D.C. To a small group of individuals lucky enough to work for him, there was none bigger than Rep. Bill Frenzel.

His public accomplishments were many. He worked with presidents of both parties to achieve his goals of free trade and tax fairness.

But, for many of us, he was much more than a storied policymaker. On a more personal level, he was our boss and mentor. His blend of a powerful intellect and generous nature left an imprint on everyone. Here are a few life lessons learned from this extraordinary man:

Bill never forgot about his constituents. If they took the time to write to their congressman, then we needed to respond. He taught all under his employ how to write a letter. He would personally send letters back to staff for more work. If a constituent took the time to come and visit the office in D.C., we needed to treat them like royalty.

Bill would always have town hall meetings. These could sometimes become emotional, and insults would be hurled at Bill. After one such meeting, a staffer asked why a senior member of the House in a safe seat would subject himself to these beatings. Bill's response was classic: "Well, that's the great thing about democracy. Every now and then you have to sit down and hear what the customers have to say. And in this business, the customer is always right."

He loved his wife, Ruth. To a young staffer, that seemed kind of old-fashioned. Today, it looks amazing. Washington can be hard on marriages. But Bill loved Ruthy, and Ruthy loved Bill. They were a team and a great example.

Ruth had the notion that people who worked for her husband should be professional and not look like slobs. Ruth's spot inspections of the office were taken very seriously by the staff.

A few of us had the best jobs in Minnesota politics as Bill's drivers. Driving him was more of a tutorial than a job. Freed from the confines of the Ways and Means Committee, and driving the byways of Minnesota's Third District, class was in. The lecture topics ranged from Edmund Burke to the Minnesota Taconite Amendment.

The 1982 redistricting plan redrew the Minnesota political map. "Nothing's more dangerous than a judge with a map and a crayon," was Bill's famous quote. The Third District still had the trimmed lawns of Edina, but now it also had Carver, Dakota and Scott counties. Before cellphones and GPS, there was only a Hudson's map book. The drivers were often lost. It had to be endlessly frustrating, but Bill met every mistake with characteristic good humor.

He gave young staff members a great deal of responsibility. At a time when too few women were given a role in politics, a young female staffer could enter his office and see that women were in charge and managing complex issues.

Bill took a particular interest in advocating for new Americans who were trying to be reunited with families. Many Minnesotans from refugee camps in Southeast Asia and the Soviet bloc will always be grateful to Bill.

Bill is why so many of us still step into politics today. We witnessed that people could be from different political parties and yet find common ground. Congressman Martin Sabo, the Democrat from Minneapolis, was a trusted colleague, and he and Bill often worked together.

Bill also stood for term limits long before they were popular. He recognized the irony, and it seemed to bother him, that he himself was becoming a long-standing member of Congress. He believed in fresh ideas and new faces. All of us around him hoped that his term-limit legislation would never pass.

His goal was to retire after his years in Congress, but public service kept calling. Throughout the years, he would occasionally gather groups of Frenzel alumni to catch up. But we all just wanted to know his opinion on events. Even when he was in his 80s, we would walk away astounded by his clarity of thought.

We are the better for working for Bill Frenzel. We lost a great mentor. Minnesota lost a great public servant.

Craig Shaver is a former member of the Minnesota House. Maureen Shaver is principal, Shaver Public Affairs. Geoff Michel is senior counsel, Allianz Life. Scott Lambert is president, Minnesota Auto Dealers Association. All served on Frenzel's staff.