Howard Didriksen

Howard Didriksen was born April 30, 1919 in Jersey City, NJ to Ragna Helene (Berntsen)and Alfred Didriksen. He moved to Bergenfield in 1928.He attended Harding School in Bergenfield and was a graduate of Dumont High School in 1937.The tree he planted at an Arbor Day Celebration in the 1930's can still be seen at Harding School (Now Roy W. Brown School).After high school he worked as a law clerk for the prestigious New York Law firm of Travis, Brownback and Paxson until drafted in 1942. He suffered spinal meningitis that year, however recovered and shipped out overseas. In June of that year he married the love of his life, Jean Ward Stoba whom he had known since childhood. He was assigned to the 36th infantry division, and had the distinction of being in the first unit to take Ranger training with live ammunition. The 36th division saw a lot of action in WWII, they landed at Salerno, the first landing in Europe on occupied soil. He earned 2 Purple Hearts, Bronze Star and Silver Star with clusters for his heroism at the crossing of Italy's Rapido River, a slaughter where 85% of the unit was killed. In 1943 he was severely wounded with a broken spine when hit with a shell while in a foxhole, and spent the rest of the war in the 23rd Station Hospital, actually being assigned to the unit after his recovery as its personnel director. After discharge in 1945, he returned to Bergenfield then to Dumont to raise his family. In 1957 he opened Didriksen Employment Service in Hackensack, where he was a Main Street fixture for the next 5 decades. He is survived by his wife Jean of Park Ridge, NJ two sons, Bruce also of Park Ridge, Kevin of Tuxedo Park NY a daughter Leslie of Mahwah NJ a grandson Erik of Park Ridge NJ a sister-in-law Lily Stoba of Bergenfield and several nephews. He is pre-deceased by his parents, 2 brothers Arthur who died at childhood and Bernard B. Didricksen who lived in LaGrange NY. Services will be private. Funeral arrangements will be made by Riewerts Memorial Home Inc. Bergenfield, NJ and burial will be at Brookside Cemetery in Englewood NJ. Place condolences at

Funeral Home: Riewerts Memorial Home 187 So. Washington Ave. Bergenfield, NJ US 07621

Visitation: Riewerts Memorial Home 187 So. Washington Ave. Bergenfield, NJ 07621 No visitation

Service: Riewerts Memorial Home 187 So. Washington Ave. Bergenfield, NJ US 07621 Private

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