Son Leaves a Legacy of Generosity and Kindness to Honor His Father

Giving back to the community was important to Howard Kidder. It was also important to his father, Charles Kidder, a 1911 graduate of St. Paul College of Law. Even though Howard didn’t go to law school, he honored his father with an unrestricted bequest to Mitchell Hamline School of Law, which will provide immediate support to students, faculty, and academic programs.

Howard grew up in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood of St. Paul. After serving in the Army in World War II, Howard attended the University of Minnesota and earned a degree in engineering.

His kindness showed itself in small ways—like when he’d bring the secretary of his church a bouquet of flowers or some lunch for no reason in particular.

But there were larger displays of his charitableness as well.

During World War II he was stationed on the Hawaiian island of Lanai. Howard was so fond of the local people and appreciative of their support for the war effort that he funded scholarships so the island’s high school students could attend college.

He traveled around the world on medical aid missions to parts of Africa and Pakistan. He even ran an X-ray service at a hospital during his many trips to Haiti.

Howard passed away in 2016 at the age of 93. In one of his final acts of generosity, he made the significant gift through his will to Mitchell Hamline in honor of his father.

His father, Charles, was born in 1885 in Marshall, Minnesota. He graduated from Hamline University before attending St. Paul College of Law, a predecessor to Mitchell Hamline. After graduating in 1911, he became a part of the St. Paul firm Orr, Stark & Kidder and served as an attorney for 45 years. His wife, Caroline Bonn Kidder, was the firm’s legal secretary.

When Charles passed away in 1956, he was remembered by colleagues in the Ramsey County Bar Association for years of “constructive and unselfish service” to the legal community, his neighborhood, the city of St. Paul, and the state.

The Kidder gift leaves a legacy and honors past, present, and future generations. Many alumni choose to do to the same, and you can, too.

If Mitchell Hamline is already in your estate plans, thank you! We urge you to notify us of your plans so we can say thank you and document the gift’s use. However, we respect those who wish to remain anonymous.

If you would like to learn more about including the law school in your estate plans, we would be glad to assist you. Contact Leslie A. Wright at leslie.wright@mitchellhamline.edu or 651-290-6355.