Zitterell, William J. (1860-1932)

ZITTERELL, OLMSTEAD, RHODES

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 1/16/2015 at 15:56:50

Daily Freeman Journal, Tuesday, August 30, 1932

W. J. ZITTERELL DIES AT HOME OF BREAKDOWN

Prominent and Widely Known Contractor Sinks to Death

ILL TWO YEARS

Had Been Big Factor in Webster City More Than 30 years

W. J. Zitterell, 72, sank quietly to his death this afternoon at 1:05 o'clock at the family home, 821 Division street, from a general breakdown in health. He was the senior member of the widely known Zitterell-Mills, company general contractors.

No funeral arrangements have been made.

Mr. Zitterell had been in poor health for some two years, dating from an auto accident in which he received severe internal injuries. He never fully recovered from this, although he was later able to be up and about his business. For the past year, in particular, he had failed rapidly.

He was a man of iron nerve, however, and only for the past six weeks had he been confined constantly to his home and only two weeks ago did he take to his bed. During the past six months, however, he had had spells when he was obliged to remain home for intervals. But his restless spirit and indomitable nerve kept him up and going as long as his rapidly waning strength would permit he was a frequent visitor down town. Within the past three months, he had even made business trips out of the city.

He and Mrs. Zitterell spent the latter part of last winter in Florida, a vacation trip Mr. Zitterell enjoyed to the full. There for the first time in his busy life he learned to rest and to enjoy fishing. It was one of the happiest and most enjoyable periods of his life.

No more widely known nor universally beloved citizen lived in Webster City than Mr. Zitterell. Nor was there in this community a more public spirited man. For more than a third of a century he had been part and parcel of every public movement in the city. He contributed freely and generously to every cause of whatever nature and until ill health overtook him was always the moving spirit in all activities for the public good. His name, or the name of his firm, had headed practically every subscription paper circulated in Webster City for more than 35 years.

And during all the years that he had resided here, no man was more active or aggressive than he in seeking new industries. He had probably owned more stock in more local enterprises than any other man. Many were losing ventures and many were otherwise. And, naturally, he had probably lost more money in local ventures of one kind and another than any other man in the city. But he was a good loser. If a venture turned out bad, he never lost his sense of good humor. He took his losses "standing up" smiling, and at once began looking about for other things for the good of the community.

All Webster City loved Mr. Zitterell because of his unfailing good humor, his outstanding generosity and his unstinted loyalty to his home town. To him no town was the equal of Webster City. It was his home town - the place where his heart and his affections ever were. He had spent winters in California, Florida and elsewhere, but he was never happier than when in Webster City.

He was a big and generous contributor not only to things of a public nature, but to charity as well and no solicitor for alms ever left him empty handed. His big heart and his generous nature were outstanding in his personality.

Mr. Zitterell held membership in the Masonic orders, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Outing club and in his national and state builders' associations. He personally laid the corner stone of the Masonic temple in this city and constructed all the paving in Webster City. He was widely prominent in his profession and had served as president of the Iowa Master Builders.

The death of Mr. Zitterell is a hard blow to Webster City. Men of his type are community builders—personalities whose passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. His generosity and deep loyalty to his home town were his two outstanding characteristics. Everyone knew him and everyone loved him. He was always easily accessible to all who sought to see him. He had an unfaltering faith in the home folks and the home town. He showed this faith always in his generosity, his stock in local ventures and his investments in Webster business and residence properties.

Mr. Zitterell had known poverty as well as success. Born in Jackson county, Iowa, April 28, 1860, he was compelled by necessity of helping his family, to leave school at the age of 14 years. He went to work as a bricklayer's apprentice. Through years of hard work he learned this business thoroughly and in Lake View began contracting work on his own account.

He was always aggressive and always forward looking. And in 1896 he secured the contract for the erection of the Hamilton County State bank building in this city. He and Mrs. Zitterell [Hattie Olmstead] and their daughter, Winnie, now Mrs. R. M. Rhodes, moved to Webster City that year, since which time this city had been their home.

Mr and Mrs. Zitterell were married 34 years ago this week. Mrs. Zitterell, the daughter and five grandchildren, survive.

Shortly after the erection of the Hamilton County State bank building, he entered into partnership with the late C. E. Atkinson, forming the firm of Zitterell & Atkinson. In the year 1917 he took Guy C. Mills, who had been with him for years, into full partnership, the firm then becoming the Zitterell-Mills company.

Both Mr. Zitterell and Mr. Mills were unusually aggressive. There are few of the larger cities in Iowa in which this firm has not done some outstanding construction work. Soon after the partnership with Mr. Mills, the firm became the official contractors for the Illinois Central lines, their work being the erection of buildings, railroad yards, railroad stations, warehouses, terminals, etc. And there is hardly a division point along this entire system where this firm had not done construction work of some kind.

In consequence of the far flung activities of the Zitterell-Mills company, Mr. Zitterell was widely known. With the success and spreading activities of the company, an office was established in Chicago, but the headquarters of the company were always maintained in Webster City and both Mr. Zitterell and Mr. Mills continued their homes here—for both loved the city and its people and were possessed of a keen loyalty to the home community.

Mr. Zitterell retained his aggressive spirit until the very last. His health had been none too good for several years, but his iron nerve and indomitable courage kept him always on the move. He was never happy if he wasn't busy. He knew no regular hours. Early or late, it was all the same to him. If work were to be done, he did it. There seemed no limit to his capacity for action, though physicians for several years past had advised him to "ease up" on his activities. But "easing up" was not in his nature.

He died "in the harness", just as he himself had often wished it.

But he left in this community a mark that will remain a bright spot for many years to come. His life, his work, his success, his aggressive spirit, his early fight against poverty, his unceasing toil, his public spirit and his loyalty to his friends and his community will always remain an inspiration to all who knew him—and especially to the younger generation who viewed him rightly as a most remarkable man And his monument in this community will ever be these same characteristics— characteristics that would have made him an outstanding man in any community.