Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Otto Perry Winblad (1902-1977) biography


Otto Perry Winblad (1902-1977) Free and Accepted Mason at Federal Lodge 888 in New York City and Stereotyper for New York Daily Mirror and other Newspapers (b. August 04, 1902, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA - d. November 17, 1977, Community Memorial Hospital, Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA) Social Security Number 140073907.

Parents:
John Edward Winblad (1856-1914) of Sweden and Salmine Sophia Severine Pedersen (1861-1914) of Farsund, Norway.

Birth:
Otto was born in Jersey City in 1902.

Siblings:

His siblings include: Anton Julius Winblad (1886-1975), aka Tony Winblad, who married Eva Ariel Lattin (1892-1939) and later married Marguerite Van Rensselaer Schuyler (1891-1972) aka
Van Rensselaer Schuyler; Theodora Winblad (1888) who died as an infant; Mary Winblad (1889) who died as an infant; Otto Edward Winblad (1892) who died as an infant; Maria Elizabeth Winblad (1895-1987) who married Arthur Oscar Freudenberg (1891-1968); and John Edward Winblad II (1897-1899) aka Eddie Winblad who died as a youth from pertussis.


Isle of Pines, Cuba:
Otto spent about a year and a half on the Isle of Pines in Cuba from 1910 until March 26, 1912. He returned to the US with his sister Maria Winblad and lived with her.

Death of Parents:
In 1914 his parents took him to visit family in Norway and Sweden. Both his parents died on that trip in Farsund, Norway and he returned to live with his sister, Maria, in Jersey City on July 06, 1915 from Norway. On the same day, his older brother, Anton returned from Cuba to New York City for Otto's arrival.

US Army:
Otto served in the US Army 101st Signal Battalion after World War I and in 1922 Otto joined the Freemasons at Federal Lodge #888 in New York.

Free and Accepted Mason:
He received his first Masonic degree on November, 22 1924; his 2nd degree on March 06, 1925; and his 3rd degree on March 20, 1925. He remained a member in good standing until his death.

First Marriage:
On October 09, 1926 Otto married Helen Louise Hollenbach (1905-1928). Helen had one child: Geraldine Winblad (1928- ) who married Emmett Peter Van Deusen II (1926-2002) and after a divorce married John Earl Borland I (1924-1986). John Borland had previously been married to Gerladine's cousin: Helen Eloise Freudenberg (1928-1989).

Death of Wife:
Six days after Gerladine's birth, on May 20, 1928, Helen Hollenbach died from post-birth complications. Otto and Geraldine then moved in with Otto's sister, Maria Winblad.

Trip to Chicago:
In 1929 Otto took his sister, Maria, and her two oldest children, on a car trip to Chicago, Illinois and from there they traveled to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The trip was to visit their aunt on their mother's side: Lena Olson (1860-1938) who was married to Andrew Havig Jensen.

Stereotyper:
In 1930 Otto was living with his sister Maria, and Geraldine may be living with the Hollenbachs in Bayonne. In 1932 Otto was working for the New York Daily Mirror newspaper as a stereotyper.

Second Marriage:
On June 05, 1933 Otto married Leah Way (1901-1986) in Manhattan. Their certificate number was "10868". They honeymooned in South Bend, Indiana; and Niagara Falls, New York. During the 1950's Otto may have been a part owner of a gas station in Paramus, New Jersey.

Whiting, New Jersey:
In 1975 Otto retired from the newspaper and moved to 111 Woodchuck Parkway in Whiting, New Jersey and lived in a trailer park in a comfortable double sized trailer.

Death:
Otto died on November 17, 1977 at Community Memorial Hospital in Toms River, New Jersey and he was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey with Leah, his second wife.

Obituary:
His obituary appeared in the Asbury Park Press on November 18, 1977 and read as follows:

Otto P. Winblad, 75, of 111 Woodchuck Parkway, Whiting died yesterday at Community Memorial Hospital, Toms River. He was born in Jersey City, where he lived until coming here two years ago. He worked 12 years for the Hudson Dispatch, Union City and retired in 1969. Mr. Winblad was a member of Federal Lodge 888, F&AM, New York; Christ Lutheran Church here; the Travel Club of Crestwood and Pine Ridge Residence Association, both here. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Leah Way Winblad; a daughter, Mrs. Geraldine Van Deusen, Bayonne; a sister, Mrs. Mae Freudenberg, Fairfield, and two grandchildren. The Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home, here, is in charge of arrangements.
Burial:
He was buried in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey.

Relationship:
Otto Perry Winblad (1902-1977) was the granduncle of Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ).