 He married Alice Gunderson in 1950.He was secretary-treasurer of the Racine Milk Producers Cooperative Association and manager of the Harmony Dairy Co. from 1951 to 1964.In 1954 he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate (reelected in 1958 and 1962), where he served as caucus chairman in 1957, 1959, and 1961, and as assistant minority leader in 1963.