Larry Haws Dies After Battle With Cancer

ST. CLOUD -- A former St. Cloud state lawmaker, Stearns County Commissioner and parks advocate has died.

Larry Haws died Tuesday afternoon at the age of 72 after battling brain cancer. He was surrounded by family and friends.

Haws' body will now be donated to the University of Minnesota for research.

Before serving as an elected official, Haws was St. Cloud's Park Director for 27 years. He worked for the city from 1969 to 2002.

He served on the Stearns County board from 1999-2006.

In 2005, he won a special election to replace State Representative Joe Opatz and served at the Legislature until 2010.

There will be no formal wake or funeral, but rather a celebration of life scheduled for a later date.