Captain, U.S. Air Corp. World War II. Wendell engineered numerous Electrical Generating power plants and large transmission lines, including parts of Atomic Power Plant at Elk River, Minnesota (First Atomic Plant in Minnesota).
Wendell died August 6, 1991 at the age of 88. Obituary read: ÒWendell W. Cutcliffe age 88, of Brooklyn Park (Minnisota). Survived by wife margaret; sons, Richard and wife Cecile, and William; grandson, Terry; brother, Ben. Gravesede service today (August 9, 1991), 2 pm, Fort Snelling national Cemetery. Memorials preferred to VFW Post #5632 or Grace Trinity Church, Mpls. Ò
Wendell wrote a book titled "Account of the Family of Cutcliffe" that was published in 1970. This book is the primary source for the information in this geneology. This book is filed in the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City under #929.273 (c97/c) in Book Area.
"William Roderick Cutcliffe, Wendell's father, was living in Drummond, Minnesota at the time of his first son's birth. However, due to inadquate hospital facilities in Drummond, Wendell's mother went to the City of Duluth, and Wendell was born there on October 26, 1902. His mother returned to Drummond, and Wendell and his parents resided there until Wendell attained school age, at which time they moved to Duluth, where he entered Jackson grade school. Upon graduation from Duluth Cnetral High School, Wendell went to Minneapolis, enrolling in the Electrical Engineering School of the University of Minnesota. He paid his tuition and all living expenses by working for a telephone company.
In spite of this heavy work and study schedule, he joined Chi Phi Fraternity, where he made many friends. In 1929, after graduation, he connenced work at the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in Chicago, Illinois, and it was shortly after his arrival in Chicago that he met Miss margaret Ellen Pierce of Clarinda, Iowa. They were married in 1931. To this day, (1970) Wendell likes to say that he married "the only good girl in Iowa".
While in Chicago, Wendell derived much satisfaction from his work; an outstanding achievement being the engineering of the first telephone cable to be put under gas presure between Chicago and New York City.
When this major project was completed, and work terminated, he returned to Minneapolis. In 1933, Wendell organized and launched a consulting engineering firm, the United Engineering Service, in Minneapolis. His company specislized in the engineering of Deisel plants and high-voltage transmission lines, and was highly successful.
World War II demanded men with technical knowledge, and in 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps, serving for three years. he spent two of those years in India as an engineering officer, stationed at a repair base at Panagarh, just north of Calcutta, India, which serviced and maintained military planes flying "the Hump" between India and China. In recognition of his outstanding service in the China-Burma-India theater, he attained the rank of Captain and was recommended for the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star. Upon discharge from service, he returned to Minneapolis, reactivating his United Engineering Service.
The Atomic Age had arrived, again calling upon the special skills and talents of engineers. Wendell enjoyed the distinction of engineering work on the now famous Atomic Power Plant at Elk River, Minnesota, the first atomic plant in Minnesota. Over fifty percent of all the Rual Electritication systems in Minnesota were engineered by him.
The only advice he gave his sons when they left home was to serve well whatever group or whoever they work with. If they cannot do this, they should move on to other fields.
At the age of 49, he decided to curtail the operations of his firm and to "semi-retire". Those who know him today, consider him the most active retired person they have met. During the last twenty years, he has kept busy working for, and serving, the Lion's Club, Elks Club, YMCA, his fraternity Chi Phi, Grace Presbyterian Chruch, Minneapolis Athletic Club, the Minnesota Engineers Club, and in a life member of Minnesota Society of Professeional Engineers. He finds time for several hobbies, among them writing to his elder son, William Drummond Cutcliffe, who resides in Hawaii. Wendell states he gets the better of the bargin in this exchange of correspondence - - "an ordinary note to Bill will bring me in return a five or six page letter; a line or two from me on a postcard is good for at least a two or three page reply."
One one of his visits to England, Wendell visited the old family property called "Damage Barton", in co. Devon, England. The old gray stone farmhouse is still standing. There is a stone in one part of the building that has the date 1656 carved in the stone. Other parts of the building are older. The stable building or barn is built with a semicircular addition. Damage Barton is one mile east of Mortehoe, co. Devon, North of Barnstaple, England.
Wendell Warner Cutcliffe's grandfather was Charles Warner whose wife's father was James M. Cusack, both on his mother's side. James came from Ireland to America in 1799. Entries in the family Bible are going out of fashion, therefore, it is hoped this writing will create a love of genealogical research so future Cucliffes will continue this book.Ó
Source: Ancestry.com SSDI records.