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William Howard Zodrow(3), was born April 21, 1895 in Wadena County, Minnesota, the natural son of Helena R. Hunke(2) and a man born in Wisconsin. He is recorded in the Wadena County birth records as a confidential birth under the name of William Hunter, probably a misspelling, as no father is listed and his mother is listed as Helena Hunke.
In 1900, at age five, he was living under the name of William O. Hunke with his grandmother Augusta Zodrow and her second husband August on a mortgaged farm in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota. At some later point he took the name William Howard Zodrow, the name by which he was known as an adult.
He moved to North Dakota in 1902, presumably in the company of his grandparents, first making his home in Bonetraill Township, Williams County. He farmed there, and in 1916 moved to Minot and went to work at the Great Northern Railway as a brakeman and switchman.
On March 1, 1918, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Williston, and in June of that year went to France with the 159th Depot Brigade. He remained overseas until July 29, 1919, attaining the rank of sergeant with the 234th Company of the Military Police Corps. He was released from military service on August 18, 1919, at Fort Dodge, Iowa.
William then returned to Minot and went back to work for the railroad, remaining there until 1929.
William married, September 2, 1922 in ------, ------, Anna E----- Kleppe. She was born November 28, 1899 in ------, ------, the daughter of ------ Kleppe and ------ (------) Kleppe.
Children:
William and Anna's Social Security cards were both issued in North Dakota.
William was long active in military veterans' affairs in Minot and at the state and national levels. He was a past state commander of North Dakota Veterans of World War I, and in 1971 was serving as a national deputy chief of staff. He was also a past commander of the Minot VFW post, and at one time had been a member of the VFW State Band. He also had been a member of the American Legion and of Disabled American Veterans.
William was named president of the Ward County chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons, the first AARP chapter to be officially incorporated in North Dakota in 1968. Subsequently, he helped establish other state AARP chapters, and he became a director of the state association.
He was active in the Minot Senior Citizens organization, and was a member of the First Lutheran Church.
William Zodrow's last residence was Minot, Ward County, North Dakota 58701. He died Sunday, August --, 1971 at his home at 207 4th Avenue NE, Minot, aged 77. He was survived by his wife Anna, two daughters, one son, seven grandchildren, and a number of half-brothers in California. His funeral was held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, ------ --, 1971 in the chapel of Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Rev. Paul Walker officiating. Burial was in the veterans plot of Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, North Dakota, with military graveside rites conducted by Post No. 753, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Anna Zodrow's last residence was Minot, Ward County, North Dakota 58701. She died January --, 1983.
From Jan. 17, 2005 revision.
Posted Sep. 5, 2002.
Updated Oct. 11, Nov. 15, 2004, Jan. 17, 2005.