Clarence Bladow

Clarence Bladow, 93, of Ottertail, MN, formerly of Wahpeton, ND, passed away on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at the Hadley House in Perham, MN.  Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 13, 2021 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by his funeral service at 11:00 am at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ottertail.  Burial will take place at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Wahpeton.  A livestream of his service will be available on the funeral home’s website.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton.  The family would like to thank the staff at the Hadley House and Hospice of the Red River Valley for their wonderful care of Clarence.

Clarence W. Bladow was born on May 22, 1927 at Hankinson, ND to Robert H. and Alma (Sedler) Bladow.  He attended Brandenburg #3 country school, graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1945 and then attended the North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton. On February 1, 1951 he entered the United States Army and served during the Korean Conflict.  He was honorably discharged in 1953.  On October 24, 1953 he married Lorraine Buck at the First English Lutheran Church, Fairmount, ND.  Clarence had various employment in Wahpeton serving as Office Manager of N.W. Farm Management, Assistant Office Manager of Richland County Abstract Co., Richland County Deputy Register of Deeds, Leach and Gamble Co., Wahpeton as a bookkeeper, Citizen’s First National Bank in Wahpeton from 1953-1959 as Assistant Cashier and in 1959 as Branch Manager of Metropolitan Savings and Loan, Wahpeton where their first branch office was built; and held that position until July 1974 when he was transferred to the home office in Fargo and named Branch Coordinator for all the various branches in North Dakota and Minnesota.  Clarence was named Vice President of Metropolitan Savings and Loan in 1969 and was named a Director for Metropolitan in 1973.  Upon his retirement on December 31, 1985, Clarence and Lorraine built a new home on Ottertail Lake, MN and have resided there since.

In his years as a resident of Wahpeton he was a past President of the Wahpeton Jaycees, past President of the Bois de Sioux Country Club, Treasurer of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Church Council Chairman, past Rotary President, past President of the NDSCS Alumni Association,  NDSCS “300” Club, NDSCS Alumnus of the Year 1972, Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years serving as Scoutmaster for Troop 77 and recipient of the “Silver Beaver Badge” (an honor only given to a Scout Master) and Chairman of District #3 in North Dakota, past Treasurer of the Wahpeton School Board, Director and Vice President of the Wahpeton Chamber of Commerce, Director and President of the Wahpeton Community Development Corporation and Richland County Director and State Director for the Greater North Dakota Association. Clarence was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ottertail, MN, Treasurer of the Ottertail Lake Property Owners Association for 15 years, Treasurer for Ottertail Water Management District, Ottertail Rod and Gun Club and received the Ottertail Outstanding Citizen Award in December of 2005 for distinguished service and loyalty to the community.

Clarence is survived by his wife Lorraine, Perham, MN; his son, Brian (Peggy) Bladow, Battle Lake, MN; his daughter, Kristi Graf, Fargo, ND; three grandchildren; Nathan (Haley) Bladow, Chad (Katarina) Bladow, and Eva Graf; and two great-grandchildren, Wake Bladow and Brinley Bladow.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Alma Bladow; three brothers; Ralph, Willard and Eldon Bladow; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Fred and Jan Buck Jr.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ottertail, MN, or “Quilts of Valor Foundation” and sent to Red River Quilters, Blair Larson, 814 3rd St. N, Wahpeton, ND, 58075.