BIDNE, Bertrum T. 1923-2017

BIDNE

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 6/10/2020 at 23:25:28

November 27, 1923 - August 11, 2017

Northwood, Iowa - Bertrum T. Bidne, 93, Northwood, died Friday, August 11, 2017, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood.

A funeral service for Bertrum will be held at 10:30 A.M. Friday, August 18, 2017, at the First Lutheran Church, 309 North 9th Street, Northwood, with Reverend Judy Converse officiating. Burial will be in the Elk Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Kensett, with full military honors conducted by members of the Army military honors burial detail, members of Our Buddies VFW Memorial Post #6779 of Northwood and Viet Nam vets. Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Thursday at the Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral on Friday at the church.

The family would like to suggest that those wishing to give a memorial in his memory may wish to consider that they be directed to the First Lutheran Church, Lutheran Retirement Home, and to the Veterans Memorial Wall in care of the Worth County Veterans Affairs office all in Northwood.

Bertrum T. Bidne was born on November 27, 1923, the son of Iver and Bertha (Jorde) Bidne. He was baptized and reaffirmed the faith of his baptism through confirmation at First Lutheran Church in Northwood, by Reverend Benson. Bertrum received his education in the Northwood Community Schools through the 11th grade and graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in June, 1941. He also graduated from Iowa State Teachers College with a BA degree in business, administration, economics, and sociology in May, 1950. Bertrum also attended Rookes Army Medical School in San Antonio, TX, and was trained as a surgical tech and combat medic.

He and his brothers served in World War II and Bertrum and Bernard also served in the Korean War. On July 5, 1951, he received his 2nd LT Commission from General Douglass McArthur, General Head Quarters, Tokyo Japan, Signal Corp, and was promoted to lst LT Commission on November 16, 1954. On October 8, 1951, he was transferred to the Officers Reserve, and was honorably discharged on January 15, 1963, as lst LT. Bertrum was well liked in the military from the enlisted to the officers.

From 1942 until 2009, Bertrum and his twin brother, Bernard, lived on the Bidneorde family farm that had been in the family for over 149 years. Bertrum retired in 1980 from Winnebago Industries in Forest City.

After his retirement from Winnebago, he remained active in the WIT Club, “Winnebago International Travelers Motorhome Club” for over 20 years. When Bertrum was employed with Winnebago Industries, he set up the first “Medical First Aid Department” to treat injured employees with work related injuries, and later set up the Ambulance service to take injured employees to the Forest City doctors' offices. Bertrum served as supervisor, night shift for 8 years in the fiberglass Roto-Cast Division.

Bertrum and Bernard purchased “Partial Plan” baseball tickets to the Minnesota Twins Season Tickets. They attended the 1991 World Series, two American League playoff games and four World Series games with the Atlanta Braves. From April 1989 to date, Bertrum and Bernard have attended over 650 Minnesota baseball games, including many American League Division and playoff games.

From 1950 until 1970, he worked from the Iowa State Civil Defense Director on the Worth County Civil Defense shelter and provisions/food, and CBR detector program. In 1958, he was on the original Northwood Lutheran Retirement Home's finance committee and served as finance chairman for the lst financial Campaign. From 1960 until 2002, he was secretary of the Northwood Lutheran Retirement Home, a total of 42 years. From 1962 until 1963, he was president of the Worth County Farm Bureau. From 1956 until 2003, Bertrum was active in the political campaigns for Governor Bob Ray, and later, Governor Terry Branstad. He received several Governor State “Volunteer Awards” during that time. From 1992 to 2000, then Governor Terry Branstad appointed Bertrum to the Governor's Elder Affairs Commission.

In the spring of 2014, Bertrum and Bernard were invited by the Winnebago Veterans Affairs Honor Flight to Washington DC to visit several military memorial sites. In 2015, they both worked with the Winnebago Veterans Affairs and established the Worth County Veterans Memorial in Northwood.

Bertrum was a life member of First Lutheran Church, the Reserve Officers Association, American Legion, Northwood Our Buddies VFW Memorial Post 6779 and the Viet Nam vets.

Bertrum was a very good care taker for his mother and father and all of his siblings.

Those left to cherish his memory include his identical twin brother, Bernard Bidne from the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood; several nieces, nephews, cousins, and many other friends he met throughout his life.

Those who preceded him in death are his parents, Iver and Bertha (Jorde) Bidne; and his siblings, Eleanor, Arnold, Iver Jr, and Howard.

Conner Colonial Chapel: (641) 324-1543, Colonialchapels.com