Betzold, Edward a life-long resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died April 4, 2020 at the age of 99 in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Edward is survived by his wife, Harriet Betzold, née Nelson; his daughter, Linda Taylor and her husband Tom of Maple Grove; his son Victor Betzold and his wife Lynn of Maryland; and his grandchildren, Gillian Betzold, Bret Taylor, and Travis Betzold. Ed was born in Minneapolis on September 26, 1920 to Victor and Lillian Betzold. He worked at the Northern Pump Company in Fridley, Minnesota, and was a reservist in the U.S. Navy. He began active duty shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor, serving throughout World War II on the USS Wright in the South Pacific. He attained the rank of chief petty officer and left active duty at the end of the war. He sometimes mused that he must have been valued by his ship's officers; his requests for leave were only granted once for a trip home during the entire war. After the war, Ed returned to his pre-war employment at Northern Pump. He attended the University of Minnesota and earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He continued his employment with "The Pump," working on U.S. naval ordnance designs. He experienced the corporate change from Northern Pump to Northern Ordnance, then FMC, and finally United Defense (now part of BAE Systems). He was the lead engineer for development of the Mark 45 naval gun. He became head of the mechanical engineering department and was awarded patents for design of U.S. Naval ordnance. Ed found his work enjoyable and fulfilling, and upon retirement he continued his career as a design consultant. The duration of his work with a single employer is remarkable, exceeding 50 years. Ed enjoyed hunting and was an accomplished marksman, winning numerous awards for his trap shooting prowess. He also enjoyed fishing, and especially trips to the the family cabin in northern Minnesota that he helped build. He had many fond memories of time spent as a teenager at the cabin, a respite from the Great Depression. After retirement, he began building and flying radio-controlled aircraft, and was an active member of the Grassfield RC club based in Brooklyn Park. Like so many veterans who served their country with distinction, Ed was extremely proud of his service in the U.S. Navy during the war and his contributions to U.S. naval ordnance during his long tenure as a design engineer. He recounted many of his experiences during the war as though they had happened yesterday. A memorial service will be scheduled in the future.

Published on April 12, 2020