A LITTLE HISTORY OF MY FATHER

My father was Charles Marion Odell born on November 20, 1911 in Epping, Williams County, North Dakota to Charles Otas Odell and Edna Katherine (Harris) Odell. My father never had the privilege of knowing his father since he died 6 months after he was born. My grandmother raised him by herself. In my grandfather's diary and in my grandmother's handwriting, my father's birth name was written "Marion Otis Odell" and my grandmother always called my father by the name "Marion". However, I remember when my father applied for Social Security, he could not find a birth record for "Charles Marion Odell" and he had to use a Cradle Roll card as proof of his birth. I believe my grandmother simply changed his name after my grandfather died to Charles Marion Odell. I hope to stop in Bismarck, ND on my way back to Minnesota this summer for a visit to check to see if I can find a birth record for him.

AN INTERESTING NOTE: IF my grandmother was born on November 20, then my father was born on her birthday. She died on January 6 as did my father. My father died from emphysema and cancer and he wanted to die the same day as his mother and waited 15 minutes into January 6 before he passed away. So, I think it is interesting that he was born the same day and died the same day as his mother.

My father is buried next to my brother, Charles, Jr., in the Biwabik Cemetery. My brother was killed by a car on his bicycle on March 17, 1972. He was 15 years old at the time.

My father served his country in World War II as a Sergeant in the U. S. Army. He served in Germany and helped to liberate one of the concentration camps there.

My father was an avid reader of anything dealing with history but especially World War II. He would read books on this subject from cover to cover. He also liked the National Geographic magazine and read that from cover to cover. Before the War interrupted his life, he was going to college to become a history teacher.

He and my mother were married for 45 years.