William Henry Knoderer, Jr. (born 1922)

Upper Arlington, in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, United States
William Knoderer's Biography
Introduction
William (aka Bill) got his B.S. in Psychology at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, then served in the Army Air Corps, which put his Psychology degree to the test by having him administer psychological tests to recruits to help determine where they would be best suited for active duty. During these years he was often called "Long Bill".
After World War Two, Bill went to the Maywood Lutheran Seminary, now the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he met Arleen Gladys Reuse, daughter of Harry E. Reuse and Clara (Prosche) Reuse, who he married in December, 1949. He served as the first full-time pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Portland, Indiana, founded the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Indianapolis, serving as their first pastor, then went on to serve as Secretary of Development at Wittenberg College during the period when it was transforming into Wittenberg University, then as chief fundraiser at Oesterlen Home for Children, a home for delinquent teenagers, also in Springfield, Ohio.
In 1967, he decided to work toward a Master's Degree in Audio-Visual education, then moved to the Chicago area where he was active in the first few Earth Day celebrations, served as Interim pastor of several Lutheran congregations, and worked with several local businesses. In 1973, Bill and Arleen moved to Kansas City, where they both got involved with several alternative ministries, including the Course in Miracles, and worked with several local businesses.
In 1977, they moved to their retirement home in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, where they were friends of the local spiritual community, Shiloh, and where Mom continued her singing by eventually becoming the paid soloist at a Church of Christ Scientist in Gravette.
Bill died two days before his 70th birthday at home, after fighting cancer for five months. He was cremated, and his ashes were buried beneath three trees, one in Sulphur Springs Park, and two in their back yard.
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1922 World Events
In 1922, in the year that William Henry Knoderer, Jr. was born, on June 22, coal miners in Herrin Illinois, were on strike (coal miners had been on strike nationally since April 1). The striking miners were outraged at the strikebreakers (scabs) that the company had brought in and laid siege to the mine. Three union workers were killed when gunfire was exchanged. The next day, union miners killed 23 strikebreakers and mine guards. No one, on either side, ever faced jail time.
In 1931, in March, “The Star Spangled Banner” officially became the national anthem by congressional resolution. Other songs had previously been used - among them, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "God Bless America", and "America the Beautiful". There was fierce debate about making "The Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem - Southerners and veterans organizations supported it, pacifists and educators opposed it.
In 1954, on May 17th, the Supreme Court released a decision on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The ruling stated that state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students was unconstitutional thus paving the way for integration in schools.
In 1965, from August 11 to 16, riots broke out in Watts, a Black section of Los Angeles. An allegedly drunk African-American driver was stopped by LA police and, after a fight, police brutality was alleged - and the riots began. 34 people died in the rioting and over $40 million in property damage occurred. The National Guard was called in to help the LA police quell rioting.
In 1994, on May 6th, former political prisoner, lawyer, and activist Nelson Mandela was elected the first black President of South Africa. He was 75 when he was elected and he served one five-year term.