Edwin and Wilhelmina (Hildre) Code

Ancestors of Wilhemina Karen Hildre

Parents and Siblings of Wilhelmina Karen Hildre

Ole Petersen Hildre, son of Peter Magnus Iversen and Karn Gurine Berentsdatter Flem, was born on 18 Feb 1870 in Hildrestranda, Sondmore, Norway, died on 6 Oct 1952 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota at age 82, and was buried in Petersburg City Cemetery, Petersburg, North Dakota.

Ole married Berthine "Tina" Enga Josephine Reiten, daughter of Hans Knud Martinus Olsen Reiten and Vilhelmine Caroline Karn Martinusdotter Hildre, in Jun 1896 in Lakota, North Dakota. Berthine was born on 20 Nov 1878 in Hildrestranda, Sondmore, Norway, died on 4 Oct 1942 in Grand Forks, North Dakota at age 63, and was buried on 7 Oct 1942 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota.

Children from this marriage were:

Peter Carl Hildre was born on 3 Jun 1898 in Nelson County, North Dakota, died on 25 Feb 1976 in Cooperstown, North Dakota at age 77, and was buried in Petersburg City Cemetery, Petersburg, North Dakota.

Peter married Edith Arneson, daughter of Carl J. Arneson Arneson and Caroline Arneson, on 9 May 1932 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota. Edith was born in 1904 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota, died in Jun 1945 in Lakota, North Dakota at age 41, and was buried in Doyon, North Dakota.

Hartvig "Bo" Wilhelm Hildre was born on 23 Sep 1899 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota, died on 29 Aug 1975 in Cooperstown, North Dakota at age 75, and was buried on 2 Sep 1975 in Cooperstown, North Dakota.

Hartvig married Edith Mae Hicks, daughter of George Hicks and Sarah Smith, on 15 Oct 1938 in Pierre, South Dakota. Edith was born on 17 Mar 1916 in Charbonneau, North Dakota, died on 21 Oct 1996 in Cooperstown, North Dakota at age 80, and was buried in Cooperstown, North Dakota.

George Bert Hildre was born on 26 Jun 1902 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota, died on 13 Mar 1960 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota at age 57, and was buried in Mar 1960 in Petersburg City Cemetery, Petersburg, North Dakota.

George married Allene Alice Lindquist, daughter of Walter Lindquist and Edith Atkinson, on 16 Jul 1931 in Swanville, Minnesota. Allene was born on 1 Sep 1908 in Barnesville, Minnesota and died on 16 Oct 1986 in Otter Tail, Minnesota at age 78.

Conrad Hildre was born on 26 May 1907 in Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota and died on 25 Aug 1999 in Sparks, Washoe, Nevada at age 92.

Conrad married Doris Catherine Brown, daughter of George W. Brown and Florence Adele Lewis, on 8 Aug 1929 in Michigan, Nelson, North Dakota. Doris was born on 27 Apr 1910 in Michigan, Nelson, North Dakota, died on 6 Mar 1997 in Sparks, Washoe,

Wilhelmina Karen Hildre was born on 13 May 1914 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, died on 23 Mar 1989 in Fargo, North Dakota at age 74, and was buried in Petersburg, North Dakota.

Wilhelmina married Edwin Arthur Code, son of Milton Edward Code and Edna Louise Potts, on 9 Mar 1946 in Petersburg, North Dakota. Edwin was born on 23 Aug 1913 in Toppenish, Washington, died on 12 Sep 2001 in Williston, North Dakota at age 88, and was buried in Petersburg, North Dakota.

Wilhelmina Karen Hildre

Wilhelmina “Wilma” Karen Hildre was the only daughter and the fifth and last child born to Ole and Tina Reiten Hildre. She was born in Forks, ND, on May 13, 1914, and was named for her two grandmothers. Before she was old enough to go to school, she was taken to basketball games by her brother, George, who was twelve years older than she, to watch their older high school-age brothers, Pete and Bo, play basketball. Their team would go on to win the North Dakota state championship.

Wilma and Tina Hildre

Wilma - age 2

Wilma grew up on the Hildre farm near Petersburg, North Dakota and attended grade school and high school in town. When the weather was bad, she would stay in town with her Reiten grandparents. The town of Petersburg was primarily populated by Norwegian immigrants, many arriving in the late 19th century, and the Hildre family had many relatives and friends in the area. Wilma’s father was elected for a term as a State Representative. The family often spent time during the summer at Petersburg Camp on Lake Plantagenet near Bemidji Minnesota. The camp was established around 1914 in order to satisfy the immigrants’ affinity for water and fishing.

​ Wilma - age 6

Wilma - age 17

Wilma graduated from high school in 1932. Her mother was determined that Wilma should have a college education, so she raised turkeys and saved her cream checks for that purpose. Wilma’s older brothers also helped with the effort. Wilma chose to attend the North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State University) in Fargo, as had her brothers before her. She graduated from NDAC in 1938 with a major in Home-Economics: Food and Nutrition.

Soon after her graduation, Wilma became a home supervisor with the Farm Security Administration in Lisbon, North Dakota. In 1942, after three years in Lisbon, Wilma quit her job and returned home. Her mother was ill, sicker than the family realized; she died within a month of Wilma's return. Wilma was most thankful that she had returned home when she did, for she treasured that last month with her mother.

When her uncle and aunt (Martin and Marie Reiten), were in Petersburg for Tina's funeral, they suggested to Wilma that she come to Minneapolis to look for work. Wilma accepted the idea, and within a week she had a position in the Pillsbury Test Kitchen where she was to work for three years from 1942 to 1946. During this time, she lived with her uncle and aunt.

Wilma at Pillsbury

Edwin Arthur Code

Edwin “Ed” Arthur Code was born in Toppenish, WA, on August 23, 1913, to Edna and Milton Code. His father and family had moved to Washington from Park River, North Dakota under contract to set up and manage phone services for the area. The family soon returned to the Midwest; moving to Crookston, Minnesota (around 1915) in order for Milt to help manage his father-in-law’s lumber business. Ed grew up in Crookston, Minnesota and later in Lisbon, North Dakota where in 1925 his father had moved the family in order to manage a corporate owned lumber yard. By 1928 there were eight Code children (two sons and six daughters). He attended middle and high school in Lisbon and from the time he was in eighth grade, Ed worked - mostly in Dill’s Drug Store. Following high school, he worked in a drug store in Minneapolis for a few years. In the late 1930s, he and his brother, Charles, leased the Standard Service Station in Lisbon. It was around this time that he and Wilma Hildre first met.

Edwin - age 12

Edwin - age 18

Around 1940, Ed moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to work. After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Navy and following basic training in 1942, he was attached to the First Marine Division. He spent two years in the medical department, and participated in the landing on Guadalcanal in August 1942, and later in the landing on Cape Gloster, New Guinea. He returned to the States in 1944 and was assigned to the U.S. Navy Hospital in Philadelphia as a PhM1/c (Pharmacist's Mate First Class) until 1946.

Note: The Battle of Guadalcanal was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater of World War II. It was the first major land offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan.

The Battle of Cape Gloucester was fought in the Pacific theater of World War II between Japanese and Allied forces on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, between December 26, 1943 and January 16, 1944. It was the second landing the US 1st Marine Division had conducted during the war thus far, after Guadalcanal. The objective of the operation was to capture the two Japanese airfields near Cape Gloucester that were defended by elements of the Japanese 17th Division.

Edwin and Wilma (Hildre) Code

A career pathway based on Ed’s early interests in working in pharmacies and his role as a Pharmacist's Mate during World War II eventually gave way to obligations to his father’s business and his family. Following his military service, he returned to Lisbon and worked in the family lumber yard. Around this time, he reconnected with Wilma Hildre who had also returned to work in Lisbon. Wilma Karen Hildre and Edwin Arthur Code were married on March 9, 1946, at the Hildre farm near Petersburg, North Dakota. Wilma was 32 years old and Ed, 33. Lois Ann Code was Maid of Honor and Peter Hildre was Best Man. They made their home in Lisbon, North Dakota, for nearly thirty years.

Wedding of Wilma Hildre and Edwin Code (background Edna Code and Lois Ann Code)

In 1946, Ed, along with his father and his brother Charles, organized the Lisbon Cash Supply, a privately owned building supply company, which operated for many years. Wilma gave birth to sons, William Edwin in 1947 and Robert Arthur in 1948. Daughters Karen Louise (1950), Kathleen Ann (1952) and Janis Lynn (1954) soon followed. Wilma’s father, Ole Hildre, died in 1954. In 1962, Ed's parents were killed in an accident in Wyoming while on a trip to California. Then in 1968, his brother became Commandant of the North Dakota State Soldiers' Home in Lisbon. Consequently, Ed took over management and ownership of the supply company.

Edwin with William. Karen and Robert

In about 1968, Wilma’s brother, Peter, came to Lisbon and lived with the Codes for about three years. Pete had suffered from arthritis throughout much of his adult life and prior to moving to Lisbon had fallen in a hospital and broken his hip which never fully healed. He was a sort of substitute grandfather to their children and enjoyed being with them. Both Wilma and Ed appreciated having Pete with them for those years.

Wilma with William, Karen and Robert

During their years in Lisbon, Wilma and Ed were active members of Trinity Episcopal Church where Ed served as treasurer and as janitor and Wilma taught Sunday school and occasionally played the organ. The Code home was often the site of holiday gatherings for the local relatives, i.e. grandparents Milton and Edna Code and the families of Charles Code and Arnie Johnson. Wilma’s background as the only daughter in a farm family, a degree in home economics and several years in the Pillsbury test kitchen’s fostered exceptional skills in food preparation – especially in baking. She often supplied bake goods to neighbors and friends.

Janis, Karen and Kathleen

Their children were encouraged to pursue academics, sports and music. Throughout their school years they returned home daily for lunch and while they were eating, Wilma read books that she had acquired from the library or book buying clubs. Ed enjoyed hunting and fishing with his children and the family would travel to parks and natural areas for picnics on the weekends. The family often spent summer vacations at the Hildre family cabin at Petersburg Camp on Lake Plantagenet south of Bemidji, Minnesota.

Code Home at 510 Forest Street in Lisbon, North Dakota

Cabin at Petersburg Camp in Minnesota

Both parents were committed to providing the resources for continued education and all their children attended college. Ed was an avid student of economics which he researched throughout his life, creating spreadsheets and charts of historical economic data and trends.

After raising their family in Lisbon, seeing them all through grade school, high school, and off to college, Ed and Wilma "retired" in 1974, sold their house and properties, and moved to Arlington, TX, where Ed's sister and brother-in-law, Lou and Charlene Gaubert, resided. Lou and Charline’s two adult children (Tom and Jack) also lived in the Dallas area with their families as did Ed and Wilma’s daughter, Jan. There Ed worked part-time with the Texas Turnpike Authority for a time.

Wilma and Ed spent their summers at their cottage south of Bemidji, Minnesota and their winters in their small, comfortable mobile home in Arlington, Texas. While in Texas, Wilma was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After surgical removal of the cancerous tissues she received radiation and chemotherapy treatments at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Following the rather long ordeal, during which Ed concentrated his energies on providing the best of care for Wilma, the cancer went into remission. The couple returned to North Dakota (Fargo) in order to be closer to family and continued to spend their summers at the Minnesota cabin with children and grandchildren coming and going.

In 1988 Wilma was again diagnosed with cancer and this time chose to forgo the prospect of prolonged treatment for the disease. Once again, Ed devoted his time and energy to her care and comfort. Wilma died quietly among family members in their apartment in Fargo on March 23, 1989. Funeral services were held in Gethsemane Cathedral in Fargo.

Ed lived independently for several years and continued to spend his summers at the Minnesota lake cabin where he enjoyed visiting with his family. He eventually moved in with his son Bill in Williston, North Dakota. In the summer of 2001 he was diagnosed with cancer which had infiltrated several organs. He chose to allow the disease to take its course and following visits from family members and loved ones passed away peacefully in Bill’s home with several family members present on September 12, 2001. Services were held in St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Williston, North Dakota. Ed and Wilma are both buried in Petersburg City Cemetery in Petersburg, North Dakota.

Wilhelmina Karen “Wilma” Hildre Code

BIRTH 13 May 1914, North Dakota, USA

DEATH 23 Mar 1989 (aged 74), Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota, USA

BURIAL Petersburg City Cemetery, Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota, USA

Edwin Arthur Code

BIRTH 23 Aug 1913, Toppenish, Washington

DEATH 12 Sep 2001 (aged 88), Williams County, North Dakota, USA

BURIAL Petersburg City Cemetery, Petersburg, Nelson County, North Dakota, USA

Note: Portions of the information and text were sourced from “The Reiten Family Book” by Sister Paula Reiten O.S.B.