Fudro was a colorful toymaker and lawmaker

Stanley Fudro of Blaine, a long-serving Minnesota legislator who represented northeast Minneapolis, had a career that many tinkerers and carpenters would envy.

Fudro, a toymaker, carpenters union leader and former state House Transportation Committee chairman, died Tuesday in Anoka after suffering a number of health problems. He was 90.

Fudro, a DFLer, served in the House from 1957 to 1980, serving the area where he grew up. He was well-liked in the Legislature, said John Sarna of Minneapolis, a former legislator who served on the Transportation Committee with him.

"He was very fair, giving everybody a hearing," Sarna said. "He heard them all, and let the committee vote it up or down," not stifling legislation or issues. "He was a straight shooter."

He became chairman of the Transportation Committee in 1975 after serving as chairman of the General Legislation and Veterans Affairs Committee chairman and serving on a half-dozen other legislative committees.

Fudro also was known for outlandish color coordination in his wardrobe -- a red shirt and an orange sport coat, for example.

In 1937, he graduated from Edison High School, where he was a star baseball and basketball player.

He attended both the old College of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota. He excelled in boxing at the university, where he was the welterweight champion.

During World War II, he served in the Coast Guard and received a Purple Heart.

As a young man, he worked as boys' director at Northeast Neighborhood House and as boxing coach for the Corker Club at the Margaret Barry House, a settlement house.

He became a home builder and later served as the business agent for Carpenters Local No. 7.

Fudro invented toys and games, several of which he patented and sold, chiefly as the owner of the Marla Toy Co. He contrived an egg decorator for Easter, a cribbage board and a game called Billionaire that involved marbles.

Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, a family friend who as a child helped Fudro distribute campaign literature, said, "He's one of the reasons I got into public service."

His children helped at election time as well, said his daughter Beth Fudro of Andover. "He had high expectations of his daughters, teaching us to earn your way in the world, and put back into our community. He was really committed to his constituents."

He retired in the early 1980s, enjoying more time for golf and winters in Arizona.

In addition to his daughter Beth, he is survived by his wife of 49 years, Ramona of Blaine; four other daughters, Angelle Huber of Andover, Lisa Norten of Ham Lake, Marla Nelson of Circle Pines and Gretchen Baumhauer of Andover; two sisters, Wanda Ryan of St. Michael and Frances Sullwold of Woodland Hills, Calif., and 13 grandchildren.

Services will be held at 7 p.m. today in Kozlak-Radulovich Chapel, 1918 University Av. NE., Minneapolis. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the funeral chapel.