Bio: Jordahl, Charles G. (1957)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Jordahl, Siren 
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) December, 12, 1957 
 

Jordahl, Charles G. (1957) 
 

Did you know that Charles G. Jordahl, popularly known as "Chuck," graduated from the University of Minnesota; that he served four years in navy and merchant marine; that he moved 12 times in eight years; and that he and his brother, Jim, handpicked Neillsville as the city in which they wanted to locate their business and make their home? 
 

Mr. Jordahl was born July 6, 1922, in Lake Park, Minn., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Jordahl.  He graduated from Lake Park High School in May, 1939.  In the fall of that year he entered the University of Minnesota.  In the fall of 1941 he joined the navy.  He was stationed in New York City for two years, and was then transferred to the Pacific Theater, where he remained until the end of the war, receiving his discharge at Seattle in November, 1945. 
 

With a desire to complete his University education, Mr. Jordahl re-entered the University of Minnesota in February, 1946.  In September 1947, he was married to Agnes Siren in Detroit Lakes, Minn., supervisor in the office of Bell Telephone in Minneapolis.  Mrs. Jordahl continued working while he studied and worked part-time.  Thus he completed his university education.  
 

In March, 1949, Mr. Jordahl was graduated from the University of Minnesota.  The following month they moved to Duluth, where Mr. Jordahl accepted a position with B. F. Goodrich Company as a sales representative.  In May, 1950, he went to work for Gambles as a zone superintendent.  His territory represented a triangular area running from Baldwin to Wausau to La Crosse. 
 

One of his area duties during this period was the establishment of new stores.  From May, 1950, until November, 1951, he opened five new stores in the district.  One of the five was the Gamble store at Neillsville on November 15, 1951. 
 

From their wedding day in 1947 until July, 1955, when they moved into their own newly-built home on Huron Street, Neillsville, the Jordahls moved 12 times. 
 

Charles Jordahl had a boyhood desire to enter business and an aptitude test in high school showed this to be his likely field of endeavor.  He played clarinet in the high school band, always liked to hunt and fish, but did not get his growth of six foot, two inches until the year after he was graduated from high school.  "In fact," he said, "I was the shortest and smallest boy in the senior class of our high school." 
 

Mr. and Mrs. Jordahl have two children, Diane and Bernard. They are members of Calvary Lutheran Church and the Masonic Blue lodge.  He has taken an active part in the industrial development program of the community, and has supported other agencies conducted for community betterment.