Walter Zuelow

Walter Alfred Zuelow, age 89 of Wadena passed away at his home early on Tues., Sept. 19th. Walter was born on Dec. 26, 1916 on the family farm south of Cass Lake the son of Richard & Anna (Baartz) Zuelow. He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cass Lake. Walter began school in Federal Dam and continued at Schely before graduating from Walker Senior High School in 1934. He then attended business college in the Twin Cities. His passion for learning continued throughout his lifetime. He enlisted in the US Army and received basic training at Camp Campbell, KY before being assigned to the 20th Armored Div. He drove a Sherman tank through France, Belgium and Germany before his tour a duty ended with the liberation of Salzburg, Austria. After returning from his military service he drove a trolley car in Minneapolis and worked for Honeywell. On August 7, 1954 he was united in marriage to Gladys Buan at the Little Brown Church in Iowa. In the 1950's he built the Maple Leaf Resort at Sucker Bay on Leech Lake. In 1960 he sold the resort and purchased the Terry Motel in Wadena where he and his wife worked until their retirement in 1981. Walter will be remembered for his love of learning, his enjoyment of animals (both wild and domestic) and his love the outdoors - especially the forests and lakes of northern Minnesota. Walter was also a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Wadena. Walter was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Edmund & Loren; sisters Elsie Isackson & Marie Ellis; nephew Daniel. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Gladys; daughters Linda (Michael) Pol of Ft. Meade, FL, Mary (Mark) Hodgkins of Burham, ME, Dianne (Garey) Zuelow Giffen of Federal Dam; 1 grandson and two great-grandsons; many special nieces & nephews. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 23rd at 11:00 AM in the St. John Lutheran Church in Wadena with Rev. Elmer Linen officiating. Burial with military honors provided by the Jack Kimball American Legion Post 284 of Cass Lake will take place in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Cass Lake. Honorary pallbearers will be Harlan & Joyce Thomson, Jim & Betty Crabb, Bob & Dorothy Teal. Active pallbearers will be David Buan, Dean Boyer, Bob Boyer, Rick Schwartz, Bob Gastecki & Gerald Kern.

Walter Zuelow

December 26, 1916 - September 19, 2006