An Interview with Genevieve (Gene) Segerblom

Date of Birth: March 15, 1918 Place of birth: Ruby Valley, Nevada Arrival in Las Vegas: 1940 Work/Contribution: Politics Date of interview: 2009 Interviewed by: Layne Karafantis

Following in the footsteps of her grandfather and mother*, Gene Segerblom served in the Nevada State Legislature. During her four terms in the Assembly, she worked to preserve the historic resources of the state, protect the natural landscape, and promote tourism to the state.

A third generation Nevadan, Genevieve Wines was born in Ruby Valley, near Elko. She graduated from high school in Winnemucca and went to the University of Nevada, Reno where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She moved south to Boulder City in 1940 to teach high school. Just one year later, she resigned her position at Boulder City High School after marrying Cliff Segerblom, as married women were not allowed to teach at the high school at that time. After their marriage, the Segerbloms traveled to Panama, where Gene completed some postgraduate work. They returned to Boulder City in 1947.

After giving birth to two children, Robin and Richard, Gene stayed home to raise them. She wrote freelance articles about Nevada while her children were in school. Once her children went to college, Segerblom became active in politics. In 1979, she became a Boulder City councilwoman. While on the Boulder City Council, she was an advocate for the arts and controlled growth. After serving on the Boulder City Council, Segerblom continued to serve her community as a member of the executive board of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and taking an active role in promoting seniors’ issues.

In 1992, at the urging of her son, Gene entered the Democratic primary for the Assembly seat in her district, which included Boulder City, Henderson, Searchlight, and Laughlin. She ran on a platform of revising the budgetary process, women’s issues, and controlling health costs for seniors and children. After winning a three-way Democratic primary, she defeated the Republican incumbent. She was reelected for three more terms. During her time in the legislature, Segerblom repeatedly served on the Education, Natural Resources, and Commerce committees. In 2000, after her district boundaries were redrawn, she was defeated for reelection.

Following her time in the legislature, Segerblom has remained active in local politics. She helped her son get elected to the Assembly in 2006.

* Gene Wines Segerblom is the daughter of Hazel Bell Wines (D-Humboldt, 1935) who was the daughter of Senator William J. Bell (R-Humboldt, 1907-13).
Sources:

• Nevada State Library and Archives
• Genevieve Wines Segerblom Papers, Nevada Women’s Archives, University of Nevada Reno.

Photo courtesy of UNLV Special Collections. May not be reproduced without special permission of UNLV Special Collections.

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