Arnold Nielsen Bodtker

  Notater:

Arnold Bodtker is
remembered for his
contributions to Danish
American Heritage
The year 2000 marked the passing of Arnold N. Bodtker
in his home town of Junction City, Oregon on March 28. He
was 95 years old.
A distinguished leader in agriculture during his career, he
devoted his retirement years to the preservation of Danish
heritage. Bodtker founded, and served as first president of
the Danish American Heritage Society. For ten years he also
served as editor of the Society's historical journal, The Bridge.
While serving as president of DAHS, Bodtker encouraged
the Board of Directors to appoint a midwestern committee to
examine the establishment of a Danish Immigrant Museum,
which ultimately led to the creation of The Danish Immigrant
Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. He supported research and writing
of Danish American history with perceptive advice, generous
contributions, unflagging enthusiasm, and mental alertness.
His parents were Hans Nielsen Bodtker and Susanne
Jacobsen Bodtker, from Denmark and the Faeroe Islands, respectively.
They were among the very first Danish immigrants
to settle in the newly founded Danish colony in Junction City,
where Bodtker was born on December 5, 1904.
After graduating from high school in Junction City in 1923,
he alternated between farming and studying at several colleges
and universities including Oregon Agricultural College
(as Oregon State University was then known); Grand View
College in Des Moines, Iowa; the University of Oregon; the
University of Minnesota; Nebraska State Teacher's College
and Drake University in Des Moines, from which he graduated
with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Biology in
1930.
It was at Grand View College that he met Edith Gravesen
from Askov, Minnesota. They married in Junction City, Oregon,
in 1932. They taught together for one school year at
Nysted Folk High School and then farmed with Bodtker's
father in Junction City. In 1937 he earned a Master's Degree
in Agricultural Economics & Soils.
In 1937 Bodtker embarked on his lifelong career with the
United States Department of Agriculture, eventually serving
from 1954-1973 as Oregon State Executive Director of the
Agricultural Conservation and Stabilization Service.
While living in Portland, Bodtker was active in urban affairs,
serving on several committees dealing with metropolitan
government, transportation, and downtown issues. He was
active in agricultural and environmental organizations as
well.
Upon his retirement from the Department of Agriculture
in 1973, Bodtker and Edith moved from Portland back to
his home town of Junction City, where he engaged in a wide
variety of community activities. He was on the board of the
Junction City Scandinavian Festival, and was active in the
Junction City Danish Brotherhood Lodge Vestens Stjerne
(Star of the West), of which he was a lifelong member.
Bodtker received the Grand View College Distinguished
Alumni Award in 1990 and also received the William Niskanen
trophy from the Oregon/Southwest Washington Associates
of the Scandinavian American Foundation.
He was preceded in death by his wife Edith in 1993.