Agency Histories

Norman H. Bangerter was born in Granger (now called West Valley City), UT on January 4, 1933. His family owned a construction firm and he spent much of his young working life with the firm. He decided to study at Brigham Young University and then history at the University of Utah. He joined the US Army and was sent to Korea 1953-1954. When he got back he married Colleen Monson on August 18, 1953. She died in July 2011. He remarried in January 2012 to Judy Schiffman. Bangerter was elected as a republican to the Utah House of Representatives 1975-1985. He served as Governor 1986-1993. During his term, the Great Salt Lake flooded and he decided to take care of it by draining the excess into the marsh lands. Later people would be concerned about it since the lake's levels continue to decrease. Bangerter was mostly concerned with improving the education system. He passed an unpopular tax increase to help fund his plans. After he left office, he decided to become the Mission President to South Africa 1996-1999 for his church. While he was gone a new highway--that he had helped fund while he was in office--was named after him in 1998. Bangerter returned to Utah and became Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Utah College of Applied Technology 2001-2006. Bangerter died on April 14, 2015 in Murray, UT.