O'Dell Gilman Amundson was born at Porter, Minnesota, October 29, 1900, to John and Mary Amundson. John, a native of Wisconsin and Mary, born in Norway and immigrated to the United States.
O'Dell completed his education in the rural school near his parents' home and high school at Canby, Minnesota, and then went on to College at Mankato, Minnesota. He then taught school at various schools in North Dakota, and transferred from teaching to the rural mail carrier position at Sanborn, North Dakota, where he continued in this work for 19 years. During his service there he met and married Eunice Olavine Biggs, and two children were born to this marriage: Lowell, now a retired Air Force Colonel in Tucson, AZ, and Carole, now engaged in work managing and owning the Dance Arts Academy at Fort Collins, Colorado.
During his service as rural mail carrier in Sanborn, O'Dell became interested in Boy Scout work and continued this work for thirty years. He also engaged in Red Cross Work and he and his wife became First Aid instructors and served for twenty-five years in that capacity.
O'Dell served in all community activities and when he was transferred to Valley City he continued to serve in various fields. He became a member of and Master of the Masonic Lodge; The Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge; and Chancellor Commander of the Knights of Pythias. He continued his work in the Boy Scout movement and became instrumental in forming troops in every town in Barnes County. He became active in work in the Congregational Church and began work to become ordained into the ministry.
World War II interrupted the planned program and O'Dell joined the State Guard and became active in its formation in Valley City, rising to the rank of Lieutenant before securing leave of absence from the Post Office Department to serve in Field Service for the American Red Cross. He served in this capacity until the end of the war when he returned to Valley City and his regular job.
On his return from Field Service work, O'Dell continued his study for the ministry while still engaged in carrying mail. This continued for fifteen years and he served churches in Eckelson, Sanborn, Lucca, Getchell Prairie, Barris-Walcott, and on occasion in Valley City. Serving first as a lay minister, then became a licentiate, and finally was ordained on November 25, 1961. He retired from the Post Office on January 5, 1962 and accepted a call to serve the Congregational Church at Lakota to begin on February 1, 1962. He served that church for six years, and then left to serve the Old Stone Church at Lyons, Colorado. Because of health problems he was forced to give up the active ministry and he and his wife now reside in Tucson, Arizona.
During O'Dell's service in the rural mail carrying work, he and his wife served in various official positions in the North Dakota Rural Letter Carriers organization and as Presidents of that group. They also served as Editor and Auxiliary Editor of that organization's official paper, The North Dakota Rural Letter Carrier, for twenty-five years.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 15