O'Dell Jack Todd

A Funeral Mass will be held November 7, 2020, in Blue Grass, IA at St. Andrew Church at 11:00 a.m., with Rosary at 9:45 a.m. and visitation at 10:00 a.m. He will be placed in ND Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan, ND. Online condolences can be shared at www.rungemortuary.com.

Jack was born December 8, 1944 in Los Angeles, CA to Helen Dilger and Henry O’Dell Todd. He was captain of football team and graduated high school from Center, ND. Jack was a proud US Army Veteran. He married Brenda Krebs in 1981. He earned his Bachelor of Science at University of Mary, Bismarck, ND and MBA at University of Minnesota, Moorhead, MN before his career as auditor for the Army, and accountant for Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Yuma, AZ, Limestone, ME and Rock Island, IL. He held challenging positions as executive director of a ND County Economic Development Group and Chief Executive Officer of a Sioux Indian Community/Tribal Council in MN, where he improved lives of families and financial controls. He was always striving to do things better.

Jack valued learning, enjoyed teaching several Business and Accounting undergraduate and graduate courses. Jack was an inspiration to several to join in service to our country or to pursue their own college degrees. He gave others confidence and strength with his support and encouragement. He was a jack of all trades, unafraid to try anything. He was a pilot, owned a plane, and taught courses in Celestial Navigation. He was awarded a brown belt in Karate and Civilian of the Quarter at DFAS-Limestone, among others. He believed knowledge and experiences should be shared. His sense of humor made life lighter and he told it like it was. He was a competitive trivia and card player. Jack had a giving heart, eager to help others. He was a strong, gentle giant who loved history, reading, fishing, home projects, senior softball, his cats, parrot buddy, Amigo, who imitates Jack’s laugh, his beloved bride Brenda and his family and friends. He had relationships with librarians from a very early age. He held membership in Knights of Columbus, VFW, and American Legion. Jack was President of his neighborhood association several years. He volunteered calling Bingo games at nursing homes several years.

Those left with faith in the Resurrection are his wife Brenda, brothers Jere, Ponder, TX and Jeffrey (Charlene) Bismarck, ND, brothers-in-law Roger Ridl, Cleburne, TX, Fr. Bruce Krebs, Minot, ND, Brian Krebs, Minot, ND, Bernie (Jane) Krebs, Dickinson, ND, sister-in-law Bonnie Dick, Mandan, ND and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jack’s name may be made to the Wounded Warriors, Tunnel2Towers, or Operation Christmas Child.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Joann Todd Ridl and a baby brother.