William Howard Zodrow, undated portrait. Photo from obituary.

In June 1895, at the age of one month, William was living with his grandmother Augusta Zodrow, her second husband August, his mother Helene and uncle Henry Hunke in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota.

In 1900, at age five, he was living with his grandparents uon a mortgaged farm in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota. His name was given at this time as William O. Hunke. At some later point he took the name William Howard Zodrow, the name by which he was known as an adult.

In 1902 he moved with his grandparents to North Dakota, where reportedly they made their initial home in Bonetraill Township, Williams County where he helped them farm. They subsequently moved to Blacktail Township.

In June, 1910 William, now bearing his grandparents’ surname, was living with them on their farm in Blacktail Township, Williams County, North Dakota. While literate, he had not been attending school during that school year. The township had only 191 residents at the time, so possibly there was no school.

In 1916 William 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 Evelin Kleppe. She was born November 28, 1899 in —, North Dakota, the daughter of Armond S— Kleppe and Anna Severina (—) Kleppe.

Children:

1. Dwain M— Zodrow, born September 17, 1923 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota.
2. Beverly A— Zodrow, born July 9, 1930 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota.
3. — Zodrow.

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 had also had been a member of the American Legion and of Disabled American Veterans.

In 1968 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. Subsequently, he helped establish other state AARP chapters, and 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 22, 1971, aged 77, at his home at 207 4th Avenue NE, Minot. He was survived by his wife Anna, three children, seven grandchildren, and a number of half-brothers in California. His funeral was held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, August 26, 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 3, 1983, aged 83, in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota.