Robert Anderson

Robert (Bob) Willard Anderson was born in Duluth, Minnesota on December 22, 1923, the son of Rudolph and Mamie Anderson. His father Rudy worked for the railroad, and they lived in what Bob called the ?West End". They stayed in Duluth until Bob was three years old, at which time they moved to Montevideo and started farming the land. Bob had three sisters: Evenell, Betty, and Marilyn and one brother: Darrel. Bob grew up working and playing on the land he loved. During World War II, Bob was a member of the Home Guard. He was also a member of the Montevideo Rescue Squad for many years.In the winter of 1951-1952, Bob and his friend Roland Koopman went to Wichita, Kansas to work at Beechcraft Aircraft Plant.They took a small trailer house with them and stayed in a trailer park, and came home each spring to farm. Bob also went to California to work during the winter of 1954-1955 with his friend Howard Anderson. Bob and Howard worked nights at Lockheed Aircraft Plant in Los Angeles. Everyday they drove through the busy city to work. Robert got his pilot's license and loved to fly small planes and later in life he enjoyed the airplane rides offered to seniors at the Montevideo Airport. He was always drawn back home to the farm in Montevideo where he fell in love with the neighbor gal, Judy, who he married in 1959. Bob and Judy purchased the home farm in 1962, from his parents, Mamie and Rudy. He enjoyed raising horses, cows, sheep, and Border Collie puppies. He opened the farm to preschool group tours, giving them a chance to pet the baby animals and hold the excited puppies.Over the years they had three sons: Jeffrey, Michael, and Neal. Bob started the Salem Cub Scouts when his sons were young, where he enjoyed seeing his Scouts learn and grow. Bob went to work in Granite Falls at the Rogers Hydraulic Plant and worked there for 21 years, retiring in 1986. He took pride in soil conservation and was elected as a Soil and Water Supervisor in 1987, a position he held for 14 years. He was a member of the South West Initiative Group through the University at Marshall for two years. Bob loved photography, baby animals, traveling, and playing cards with his neighbors and his family. Bob passed away on Thursday, February 17, 2011, at the Chippewa County-Montevideo Hospital. He was 87 years of age. He is survived by his wife Judy; his sons: Jeff (Robin) of Burton, Michigan; Mike (Deborah) and their two sons, Morgan and Kaelan, of Hayward, Wisconsin; Neal (Stacy) of Winona; two sisters: Betty Anderson of Lynnwood, Washington; and Marilyn (Roger) Anderson of Floodwood, Minnesota; one brother: Darrel (Carroll) Anderson of Longmont, Colorado, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Evenell and her husband Walter Lyngen.