Man behind Afton State Park dies

Henry (Heine) Somsen, a New Ulm attorney and conservationist, worked to increase park and other public lands in gratitude for the outdoors opportunities he had enjoyed.

Somsen, who was instrumental in the founding of Afton State Park and other public lands in Minnesota, died Tuesday in Rochester.

He was 98.

A hunter and angler, Somsen also helped establish Grand Portage State Park in far northeastern Minnesota, helped expand the state's wildlife management area system and provided wildlife viewing blinds in two other state parks.

His son, Stephen, of Edmonds, Wash., said his father convinced others to give, too.

When Somsen and a friend were pondering the acquisition of the land for Afton State Park, he said, "If we don't do it, somebody will, and they'll put up homes and shopping centers, and we have enough homes and shopping centers. We need parks," reported his son.

"He had such a love of the outdoors," said his son. "He had the ability to give, and he wanted to make sure that future generations had the opportunities that he had."

"I was very, very lucky," he once said. "My wife hunted and fished with me my whole life."

Somsen helped lead the Parks and Trails Council for more than 50 years and was a founder of a parkland acquisition group that later became part of the council.

In 2007, he told the Star Tribune, "You wish you could do more. I've been an outdoor person all of my life. I've had wonderful experiences. I just thought it was a good idea to have some of our best lands put aside so everyone could use them." Dorian Grilley, executive director of the Parks and Trails Council, said Somsen made volunteer work fun.

"He always had a mesmerizing story about some park or trail project that he worked on," said Grilley.

Somsen grew up in New Ulm, graduating from New Ulm High School. In 1934, he earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota.

Before he joined his father's New Ulm law practice, he served as a secretary to former U.S. Sen. Joe Ball of Minnesota for three years.

Somsen retired in 1985 to Rochester, enjoying fishing in Minnesota and Canada, and duck hunting near New Ulm and Detroit Lakes.

Until a couple of weeks ago, he was still playing poker two nights a week.

His wife of 50 years, Anne died in 1987.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his daughter, Pennell Somsen of New York; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.