Bio: Blodgett, Morris (1957)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Blodgett, Timken, Shatola, Coburn, Barton  
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) October 3, 1957 
 

Blodgett, Morris (1957) 
 

Did you know that Morris Ralph Blodgett, superintendent of the American Stores Dairy Co. plant at Neillsville, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A. & M., worked on his Doctors’ Degree at Pennsylvania State; that he served with the signal corps in World War II, moved in with the U. S. Forces on "D" Day? 
 

Mr. Blodgett was born at Fair Water, February 10, 1918, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Blodgett.  Morris has a brother, Howard, who is general manager of the American Stores at Fair Water; a sister, Mrs. Henry (Lura) Shatola of Milwaukee, and a sister, Mrs. Jack (Mary) Coburn of Cleveland, O. 
 

As there was no high school in his home town, he traveled eight miles each way daily to attend high school at Ripon.  There were no buses in those days and families had to take turns driving to Ripon with students. While he was in high school Morris played tennis, two years of football, played saxophone in the high school band, in the Ripon College Band and in the Ripon College Orchestra. 
 

In 1938, Mr. Blodgett was graduated from Ripon College with a B.S. degree in physics, and in the fall of that year he entered Texas A. & M. at College Station, Tex.  In 1940 he received his Masters’ degree.  Seeking more education, he entered Pennsylvania State College, Pa., in the fall of 1940, and spent a year working toward a Doctors’ degree.  During this year, Morris taught part time in the physics department; and in the fall of 1941 he returned to Texas A. & M. as an instructor in the physics department. 
 

While teaching in this Texas University, he took some work in high frequency radio technique, and in the spring of 1942 he enlisted in the signal corps as a second lieutenant, induction taking place at Fort Monmouth, N. J., May 26, 1942.  After two months of training he went to England, where he studied radar equipment and activity while attached to the Royal Air Force, as a technical officer.  
 

In 1943, Mr. Blodgett returned to the United States and was assigned to an American unit.  For several months he took these units on operational training.  In January, 1944, he returned to England traveling on the Queen Mary. 
 

Training in England came to a halt on "D" Day, June 6, 1944, and Lt. Blodgett crossed the English Channel and landed on Omaha Beach, in France. Later, he moved to Belgium where he was stationed during the "Battle of the Bulge."  His service was in Northern France, near Paris, at Namur; at Liege, Belgium; and later at Wiesbaden, Frankfurt on the Rhine, and Antwerp, Belgium.  
 

After peace was negotiated, Lt. Blodgett was placed on a Liberty ship which, in crossing the English Channel in the dark, collided with another.  His ship was forced to return to Antwerp.  After being transferred to a new ship, they set out for America and landed in New York.  Two days later he moved on to Fort Sheridan, Ill., where he was discharged in November, 1945.  He arrived home on Thanksgiving Day. 
 

Having worked with the American Stores cannery at Fair Water in 1940: while attending high school: Mr. Blodgett found himself early in 1946, again employed by American Stores, assisting in the canning of peas and corn.  During the canning season, he worked with personnel and during the off-season, he reconditioned machinery. 
 

In October, 1946, he was married to Patricia Jean Timken, of Augusta, Kans. They made their home at Fair Water until November 15, 1949, when they moved to Neillsville. 
 

Since 1949, Morris Blodgett worked in the laboratory, in the sterilizing room, in the receiving room, the engine.