John Zedrow
Class of 1941Alumni Recognition Award, 1998
Mr. John Zedrow returns to Naperville Central High School fifty-seven years after a high school career where he was one of Illinois' premier prep athletes. Captain of both the Redskin football and track teams, Mr. Zedrow distinguished himself as an outstanding student-athlete. Ne was Naperville High Schools' first state champion (100-yard dash in 1941) and held the school record for the 100-yard dash for 24 years. Mr. Zedrow held school records in low hurdles, the 60-yard dash, the 220-yard dash, the 50-yard dash, and the 440-yard dash. In 1941, he scored all the points in the state meet (1st in 100-yard, 2nd in 220-yard) for Naperville which earned NHS a fourth place finish. In the 1940 state meet, he scored seven points in the state meet which earned the Redskins a second place finish. Mr. Zedrow also earned all conference recognition in football for the 1939 and 1940 football seasons.
Following high school, Mr. Zedrow served in World War II in the United States Coast Guard. Following the war, he attended Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) and earned his B.A. degree.
Mr. Zedrow worked at the Naperville Post Office for three years before beginning a career in education which saw him teaching elementary school in Peru, Illinois, and Industrial Arts in the Hinsdale system. Mr. Zedrow retired from teaching in 1985. For the past ten years, he has been co-manager of the DuPage County Fair Association and Grounds Manager for the DuPage County Fair Association.
Mr. Zedrow served on the Naperville High School Board of Education for nine years. He was also the first person to serve on the School Board and the Naperville City Council at the same time. He also served as President of Round Table #4, and organization of Industrial Arts Teachers. He has served under six Naperville mayors on various committees.
At present, Mr. Zedrow serves on the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus, L.O.O.M. #1290, American Legion Post #43, and Saints Peter and Paul Church.
John Zedrow married native Napevillian Laura Miller in 1946. All four of their children graduated from Naperville Central. His youngest son, Don, is a teacher and coach at Lincoln Junior High School
MR. ZEDROW'S MESSAGE FOR STUDENTS: As I always told my students at Hinsdale Central High School, there is only one important person in this world now and in the future: not your friends, not your siblings or parents; it's YOU, so do your best at all times in school and prepare yourself for the future. You can't depend on anyone to do it for you - you must do it yourself. Go that extra mile and be the best in what you do.
