DELBERT GUY CHILDS,90, second of five children (Esther, Delbert, Evelyn, Wilbur, Florence) born to Guy Truman Childs and May Barbara Steiber was born July 30, 1912 in Fedora,Miner County, SD where his father, Guy, farmed at the time.
He graduated from Grand Rapids, MN High School and Itasca Community College. On Sept. 4, 1937 in Nashwauk, MN he married Katherine Barbara Mayerle, daughter of Joseph and Kathryn Mayerle.
He served in WWII where he entered the U.S. Army fighting in the 225th Division during the Omaha Beach invasion between 11 and 17 June 1944 as part of the invasion of Europe. He was part of the first searchlight battalion to land on the Continent, and as part of the defense of the Normandy beachhead he and his division engaged 26 aircraft and gave valuable early warning to the Allied forces.
In early August, he was attached to the 422nd and 425th Night Fighter Squadrons of the 9th U.S. Air Force, and in this capacity helped provide over 4,000 bomings and light canopies that saved countless planes and pilots lost over the dark skies of Europe during World War II.
His battalion was deployed in as many as three countries at once and ended the war deep inside Germany. After V-E Day, he started training for redeployment to the Pacific Theatre, but the quick end to hostilities there left as division as part of the Army of Occupation in Bavaria.
The 225th left Europe in early December 1945 and the battalion was disbanded. Following his honorable discharge in 1945 Delbert returned home to Grand Rapids, MN .
After the war he worked for several years at the Blandin Paper Company in Grand Rapids, then he worked on the Massabi Iron Ore range with the M.A. Hanna Mining Company in Hibbing, MN until his retirement in 1974.
They eventually moved from Grand Rapids to lake front property on Lake Pokagama, near Grand Rapids, MN. He was the last living relative in the Guy Truman Childs' family. He enjoyed his retirement while traveling, boating, fishing, hunting, gardening, wildlife watching and woodcrafting in his shop. His beloved wife, Katherine, died Dec. 25, 1982. Del continued to travel and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Loyal Order of Moose in Grand Rapids, MN. He lived alone until his death. He kept a very orderly workshop and lawn surrounding his home.
Although he was 90 years old, he read the newspaper every day, and could converse on any subject, but he especially loved sports. After a couple of fainting spells, Delbert knew that he should not live alone. He had no children. He became depressed when he had to go to the Itasca Nursing Home so took his wife's pistol and shot himself near his wife's favorite lake front spot on Lake Pokagama, Grand Rapids, MN Oct. 14, 2002.
He survived WWII and many years of missing his wife and her great Italian spaghetti cooking. His funeral arrangements where handled by Rowe Funeral Home in Grand Rapids. Services were held at the United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, MN and graveside funeral services with full military Honors 2p.m. Thurs. Oct. 17, 2002 at Itasca-Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN .
Military Honors: Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion of Grand Rapids, MN.
He is buried in Itasca Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN and missed by his nieces & nephews - Grace Rowe (Wes) Sharbono of Devils Lake, ND; Evelyn Rowe (Don) Nelson, Andover, MA; Florence Rowe (Allen)Jarchow, Richland, MO; David (Sue) Rowe and Jim (Mary) Rowe, Richland, MO and Nancy and Patricia Browne of Ohio, His special friend, Ann Kucerra of Grand Rapids, MN, Sister-in-law, Julia Stowe of Green Valley, AZ and brother in law, Leonard (Antionette) Mayerle of Nashwauk, MN..
He graduated from Grand Rapids, MN High School and Itasca Community College. On Sept. 4, 1937 in Nashwauk, MN he married Katherine Barbara Mayerle, daughter of Joseph and Kathryn Mayerle.
He served in WWII where he entered the U.S. Army fighting in the 225th Division during the Omaha Beach invasion between 11 and 17 June 1944 as part of the invasion of Europe. He was part of the first searchlight battalion to land on the Continent, and as part of the defense of the Normandy beachhead he and his division engaged 26 aircraft and gave valuable early warning to the Allied forces.
In early August, he was attached to the 422nd and 425th Night Fighter Squadrons of the 9th U.S. Air Force, and in this capacity helped provide over 4,000 bomings and light canopies that saved countless planes and pilots lost over the dark skies of Europe during World War II.
His battalion was deployed in as many as three countries at once and ended the war deep inside Germany. After V-E Day, he started training for redeployment to the Pacific Theatre, but the quick end to hostilities there left as division as part of the Army of Occupation in Bavaria.
The 225th left Europe in early December 1945 and the battalion was disbanded. Following his honorable discharge in 1945 Delbert returned home to Grand Rapids, MN .
After the war he worked for several years at the Blandin Paper Company in Grand Rapids, then he worked on the Massabi Iron Ore range with the M.A. Hanna Mining Company in Hibbing, MN until his retirement in 1974.
They eventually moved from Grand Rapids to lake front property on Lake Pokagama, near Grand Rapids, MN. He was the last living relative in the Guy Truman Childs' family. He enjoyed his retirement while traveling, boating, fishing, hunting, gardening, wildlife watching and woodcrafting in his shop. His beloved wife, Katherine, died Dec. 25, 1982. Del continued to travel and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Loyal Order of Moose in Grand Rapids, MN. He lived alone until his death. He kept a very orderly workshop and lawn surrounding his home.
Although he was 90 years old, he read the newspaper every day, and could converse on any subject, but he especially loved sports. After a couple of fainting spells, Delbert knew that he should not live alone. He had no children. He became depressed when he had to go to the Itasca Nursing Home so took his wife's pistol and shot himself near his wife's favorite lake front spot on Lake Pokagama, Grand Rapids, MN Oct. 14, 2002.
He survived WWII and many years of missing his wife and her great Italian spaghetti cooking. His funeral arrangements where handled by Rowe Funeral Home in Grand Rapids. Services were held at the United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, MN and graveside funeral services with full military Honors 2p.m. Thurs. Oct. 17, 2002 at Itasca-Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN .
Military Honors: Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion of Grand Rapids, MN.
He is buried in Itasca Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN and missed by his nieces & nephews - Grace Rowe (Wes) Sharbono of Devils Lake, ND; Evelyn Rowe (Don) Nelson, Andover, MA; Florence Rowe (Allen)Jarchow, Richland, MO; David (Sue) Rowe and Jim (Mary) Rowe, Richland, MO and Nancy and Patricia Browne of Ohio, His special friend, Ann Kucerra of Grand Rapids, MN, Sister-in-law, Julia Stowe of Green Valley, AZ and brother in law, Leonard (Antionette) Mayerle of Nashwauk, MN..
DELBERT GUY CHILDS,90, second of five children (Esther, Delbert, Evelyn, Wilbur, Florence) born to Guy Truman Childs and May Barbara Steiber was born July 30, 1912 in Fedora,Miner County, SD where his father, Guy, farmed at the time.
He graduated from Grand Rapids, MN High School and Itasca Community College. On Sept. 4, 1937 in Nashwauk, MN he married Katherine Barbara Mayerle, daughter of Joseph and Kathryn Mayerle.
He served in WWII where he entered the U.S. Army fighting in the 225th Division during the Omaha Beach invasion between 11 and 17 June 1944 as part of the invasion of Europe. He was part of the first searchlight battalion to land on the Continent, and as part of the defense of the Normandy beachhead he and his division engaged 26 aircraft and gave valuable early warning to the Allied forces.
In early August, he was attached to the 422nd and 425th Night Fighter Squadrons of the 9th U.S. Air Force, and in this capacity helped provide over 4,000 bomings and light canopies that saved countless planes and pilots lost over the dark skies of Europe during World War II.
His battalion was deployed in as many as three countries at once and ended the war deep inside Germany. After V-E Day, he started training for redeployment to the Pacific Theatre, but the quick end to hostilities there left as division as part of the Army of Occupation in Bavaria.
The 225th left Europe in early December 1945 and the battalion was disbanded. Following his honorable discharge in 1945 Delbert returned home to Grand Rapids, MN .
After the war he worked for several years at the Blandin Paper Company in Grand Rapids, then he worked on the Massabi Iron Ore range with the M.A. Hanna Mining Company in Hibbing, MN until his retirement in 1974.
They eventually moved from Grand Rapids to lake front property on Lake Pokagama, near Grand Rapids, MN. He was the last living relative in the Guy Truman Childs' family. He enjoyed his retirement while traveling, boating, fishing, hunting, gardening, wildlife watching and woodcrafting in his shop. His beloved wife, Katherine, died Dec. 25, 1982. Del continued to travel and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Loyal Order of Moose in Grand Rapids, MN. He lived alone until his death. He kept a very orderly workshop and lawn surrounding his home.
Although he was 90 years old, he read the newspaper every day, and could converse on any subject, but he especially loved sports. After a couple of fainting spells, Delbert knew that he should not live alone. He had no children. He became depressed when he had to go to the Itasca Nursing Home so took his wife's pistol and shot himself near his wife's favorite lake front spot on Lake Pokagama, Grand Rapids, MN Oct. 14, 2002.
He survived WWII and many years of missing his wife and her great Italian spaghetti cooking. His funeral arrangements where handled by Rowe Funeral Home in Grand Rapids. Services were held at the United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, MN and graveside funeral services with full military Honors 2p.m. Thurs. Oct. 17, 2002 at Itasca-Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN .
Military Honors: Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion of Grand Rapids, MN.
He is buried in Itasca Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN and missed by his nieces & nephews - Grace Rowe (Wes) Sharbono of Devils Lake, ND; Evelyn Rowe (Don) Nelson, Andover, MA; Florence Rowe (Allen)Jarchow, Richland, MO; David (Sue) Rowe and Jim (Mary) Rowe, Richland, MO and Nancy and Patricia Browne of Ohio, His special friend, Ann Kucerra of Grand Rapids, MN, Sister-in-law, Julia Stowe of Green Valley, AZ and brother in law, Leonard (Antionette) Mayerle of Nashwauk, MN..
He graduated from Grand Rapids, MN High School and Itasca Community College. On Sept. 4, 1937 in Nashwauk, MN he married Katherine Barbara Mayerle, daughter of Joseph and Kathryn Mayerle.
He served in WWII where he entered the U.S. Army fighting in the 225th Division during the Omaha Beach invasion between 11 and 17 June 1944 as part of the invasion of Europe. He was part of the first searchlight battalion to land on the Continent, and as part of the defense of the Normandy beachhead he and his division engaged 26 aircraft and gave valuable early warning to the Allied forces.
In early August, he was attached to the 422nd and 425th Night Fighter Squadrons of the 9th U.S. Air Force, and in this capacity helped provide over 4,000 bomings and light canopies that saved countless planes and pilots lost over the dark skies of Europe during World War II.
His battalion was deployed in as many as three countries at once and ended the war deep inside Germany. After V-E Day, he started training for redeployment to the Pacific Theatre, but the quick end to hostilities there left as division as part of the Army of Occupation in Bavaria.
The 225th left Europe in early December 1945 and the battalion was disbanded. Following his honorable discharge in 1945 Delbert returned home to Grand Rapids, MN .
After the war he worked for several years at the Blandin Paper Company in Grand Rapids, then he worked on the Massabi Iron Ore range with the M.A. Hanna Mining Company in Hibbing, MN until his retirement in 1974.
They eventually moved from Grand Rapids to lake front property on Lake Pokagama, near Grand Rapids, MN. He was the last living relative in the Guy Truman Childs' family. He enjoyed his retirement while traveling, boating, fishing, hunting, gardening, wildlife watching and woodcrafting in his shop. His beloved wife, Katherine, died Dec. 25, 1982. Del continued to travel and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Loyal Order of Moose in Grand Rapids, MN. He lived alone until his death. He kept a very orderly workshop and lawn surrounding his home.
Although he was 90 years old, he read the newspaper every day, and could converse on any subject, but he especially loved sports. After a couple of fainting spells, Delbert knew that he should not live alone. He had no children. He became depressed when he had to go to the Itasca Nursing Home so took his wife's pistol and shot himself near his wife's favorite lake front spot on Lake Pokagama, Grand Rapids, MN Oct. 14, 2002.
He survived WWII and many years of missing his wife and her great Italian spaghetti cooking. His funeral arrangements where handled by Rowe Funeral Home in Grand Rapids. Services were held at the United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, MN and graveside funeral services with full military Honors 2p.m. Thurs. Oct. 17, 2002 at Itasca-Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN .
Military Honors: Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion of Grand Rapids, MN.
He is buried in Itasca Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MN and missed by his nieces & nephews - Grace Rowe (Wes) Sharbono of Devils Lake, ND; Evelyn Rowe (Don) Nelson, Andover, MA; Florence Rowe (Allen)Jarchow, Richland, MO; David (Sue) Rowe and Jim (Mary) Rowe, Richland, MO and Nancy and Patricia Browne of Ohio, His special friend, Ann Kucerra of Grand Rapids, MN, Sister-in-law, Julia Stowe of Green Valley, AZ and brother in law, Leonard (Antionette) Mayerle of Nashwauk, MN..
Gravesite Details
WW II Veteran ; Son of Guy T. Childs & Mae Barbara Steiber; wife of Katherine Mayerle Childs; brother of Esther, Wilbur, Evelyn & Florence Childs
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