Harold Joseph Dolder was born October 13, 1922 in Pioneer, Iowa, the youngest of eight children. He attended schools in the Humboldt county area and was the only sibling that attended high school. Harold was active in football and wrestling and graduated from Gilmore City High School.

In 1935, he met Dora Azile Clark at a dance and on the 25th of March 1936, they were married at the home of Azile's parents. Immediately after the ceremony, Harold and his bride set out for Minnesota to join Harold's parents where there was work waiting for him. After a short stay in Minnesota, the couple moved to Humboldt, Iowa where Harold worked as a carpenter, then on to a farm south of Humboldt where they farmed for a few years. In 1946, they moved to Livermore and remained there until Harold's death June 25, 1967.

Harold was active on the Livermore Volunteer Fire Department and Town Council and was an avid bowler in his free time. He worked as a plumber and carpenter and was employed by K. O. Hardware at the time of his death.