JAMESTOWN – Former N.D. State Sen. David Nething, 91, of Jamestown died Dec. 2 in a Jamestown hospital, according to an obituary with Eddy Funeral Home. His celebration of life will be Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 10:30 a.m. at United Presbyterian Church in Jamestown.

Along with his many community involvements, he became active in the Republican Party, and in 1966, Nething was elected to the North Dakota Senate and served until his retirement in 2012. At that time he was the longest serving Republican state senator in the United States. He served on 26 different committees during his 46 years. He was elected Senate Majority leader in 1974-1986 and was elected president pro-tem 1997-98. In 1985-86, he was elected president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the only legislator from ND to hold that office

His career included working as a high school principal and teacher at Pingree High School, later working in insurance and real estate in Jamestown. He graduated in 1963 from the University of North Dakota Law School and worked in the office of the Attorney General in Bismarck. In 1964, he opened his law office in Jamestown.

He was appointed assistant state’s attorney for Stutsman County through 1969. He also was a part-time business law instructor at Jamestown College and the assistant city attorney for Jamestown. From 1976-2000, he was a sole practitioner of law and was the city attorney for Jamestown for four years.

Nething served on the Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education and was chairman in 2005. He was active in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and was a trustee for the North Dakota Elks Association and served as chairman of the board.

He received 28 different recognition awards during his time in the Legislature. In addition, Nething was inducted into Jamestown College Hall of Fame and in 2012 was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of North Dakota.

Nething is survived by his wife, Marjorie, a Rugby native, and three children, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.