# Gilbert Esau
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{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Gilbert Esau
| image=Gilbert D. Esau.jpg
| state_house1=Minnesota
| state1=Minnesota
| district1=18A
| term_start1=January 8, 1963
| term_end1=January 6, 1969
| preceded1=Sam Franz
| succeeded1=[George Mann](/source/George_Mann_(Minnesota_politician))
| state_house2=Minnesota
| state2=Minnesota
| district2=28A
| term_start2=January 2, 1973
| term_end2=January 3, 1983
| preceded2=[George Mann](/source/George_Mann_(Minnesota_politician))
| succeeded2=[George Mann](/source/George_Mann_(Minnesota_politician))
| party=[Republican Party of Minnesota](/source/Republican_Party_of_Minnesota)
| birth_name=Gilbert Donald Esau
| birth_date={{Birth date|1919|10|31}}
| birth_place=[Mountain Lake, Minnesota](/source/Mountain_Lake%2C_Minnesota)
| death_date= {{Death date and age|2012|7|16|1919|10|31}}
| death_place=[Spirit Lake, Iowa](/source/Spirit_Lake%2C_Iowa)
| alma_mater=
| occupation=[Business owner](/source/Business_owner), [politician](/source/politician), [veteran](/source/veteran), lay pastor
| spouse=Carol (Herman) Esau
| children=5
}}
'''Gilbert Donald Esau''' (October 31, 1919 – July 16, 2012) was a [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota) [politician](/source/politician) and a member of the [Minnesota House of Representatives](/source/Minnesota_House_of_Representatives) from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1962, Esau was re-elected in 1964, 1966 and 1968. After sitting out for four years, he opted to run again in 1972, was elected and was re-elected in 1974, 1976, 1978 and 1980.
==Background==
From the town of [Mountain Lake](/source/Mountain_Lake%2C_Minnesota), Esau, was an automobile garage and body repair shop owner. He served in the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army) during [World War II](/source/World_War_II), being deployed in both the [European](/source/European_Theatre_of_World_War_II) and [Asiatic](/source/Asiatic-Pacific_Theater) theatres between 1941 and 1945. Prior to being elected to the Minnesota Legislature, he was a member of the [Mountain Lake](/source/Mountain_Lake%2C_Minnesota) Village Council from 1954-1963.
==Service in the Minnesota House==
Esau represented the old District 18A and, later, 28A, which included all or portions of [Brown](/source/Brown_County%2C_Minnesota), [Cottonwood](/source/Cottonwood_County%2C_Minnesota), [Jackson](/source/Jackson_County%2C_Minnesota), [Murray](/source/Murray_County%2C_Minnesota) and [Redwood](/source/Redwood_County%2C_Minnesota) counties, changing somewhat after the 1972 legislative [redistricting](/source/redistricting). He was, along with senators [Dennis Frederickson](/source/Dennis_Frederickson), [Earl Renneke](/source/Earl_Renneke) and [Jim Vickerman](/source/Jim_Vickerman), and representatives [Aubrey Dirlam](/source/Aubrey_Dirlam), [George Mann](/source/George_Mann_(Minnesota_politician)), [Henry Kalis](/source/Henry_Kalis) and [Wendell Erickson](/source/Wendell_Erickson), one of the longest-serving legislators from southern Minnesota in the state's history.[{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10170 |title=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Esau, Gilbert D |publisher=Leg.state.mn.us |date= |accessdate=2012-07-17}}]
While in the legislature, Esau earned a reputation as a strong advocate for [farmer](/source/farmer)s, and as a leader on issues relevant to [criminal justice](/source/criminal_justice) and [education](/source/education). He allied with the [Conservative](/source/Conservative) [Caucus](/source/Caucus) at a time when the legislature was still officially [nonpartisan](/source/Nonpartisanism), and later identified as a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_of_Minnesota) when party affiliation became required of candidates.[{{cite web |url=http://www.mtlakenews.com/MTLAKENEWS/myarticles.asp?S=151&PubID=4878&P=43465 |title=Observer/Advocate Online |publisher=Mtlakenews.com |date=2011-10-26 |accessdate=2012-07-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120903171122/http://www.mtlakenews.com/MTLAKENEWS/myarticles.asp?S=151&PubID=4878&P=43465 |archivedate=2012-09-03 }}] His Christian service work included frequent mission trips to such places as [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine) (his father’s birthplace), [Russia](/source/Russia), [Paraguay](/source/Paraguay), [Peru](/source/Peru), and the [Philippines](/source/Philippines).[{{cite web |url=http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/540164/Esau-Gilbert.php |title=Obituary |accessdate=2015-08-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924055958/http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/540164/Esau-Gilbert.php |archivedate=2015-09-24 }}]
In 2009, Esau authored a memoir detailing his military service with the U.S. Army in both the Asian and European theatres during [World War II](/source/World_War_II), entitled ''My World War II Memories''.
[{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/My-World-War-II-Memories/dp/B00OE4G0YI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439910433&sr=1-1 |title=Amazon.com |website=Amazon |accessdate=2015-08-18}}] A series of interviews with him were also conducted to document his experiences as a World War II serviceman. These interviews can be found on [YouTube](/source/YouTube).[{{cite web|author=door Interviews with an American Citizen |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/americaninterview |title=Interviews with an American Citizen |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2012-07-17}}]
Esau died on July 16, 2012.