Evelyn Anderson of rural Dawson, died Sunday, November 11, 2012 at the Sanford Canby Medical Center in Canby at the age of 85.
Visitation was Tuesday evening from 5-7 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM at the funeral home.
Funeral service was 10:30 AM, Wednesday, November 14, 2012, at Providence Valley Lutheran Church with Pastor Cheryl Matthews officiating; Pastor Cheryl read Psalm 100, and Phyllis Lund read portions of John 10 and Ephesians 2; Roy Hope gave the message and sang Good Night Good Morning, Great Is Thy Faithfulness and Grace Will Always Be Greater Than Sin; and organist, Arlys Swenson accompanied the congregation in singing I Love To Tell The Story, Blessed Assurance and God Be With You and the casketbearers were Orrin Erickson, John Galstad, Stuart Galstad, Galen Hegg, Bruce Lund and James Robertson. Interment was in the church cemetery.
Evelyn Lorna (Erickson) Anderson was born on June 7, 1927, to Iver and Clara (Pederson) Erickson in Arlington, SD. She was baptized and confirmed at Sinai Lutheran Church. She walked with her sisters to Pine Grove country school(District No. 45) completing grades 1 through 8, and she drove a used Model A Ford to Sinai High School, where she graduated in 1945. She attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD, receiving a two-year Normal degree. After teaching one year in Clear Lake, SD, she decided to continue her Christian education by attending Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN, joining her sister, Harriet. She returned to teaching in rural schools near Canton, SD, and in Brookings County before being elected Brookings County superintendent of schools in 1956.
On July 9, 1960, she was united in marriage to Alfred Anderson, Jr. at Sinai Lutheran Church and thereafter joined Alfred on his parents’ farm south of Dawson, MN. To this union two daughters were born. Evelyn loved the Lord and openly shared her faith with others throughout her life. She was a member of Providence Valley Lutheran Church, teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school, leading Bible study groups, and being active in ladies aide. She was also the church typist for more than 20 years and belonged to the Lac Qui Parle Conference Global Mission. She enjoyed gardening, baking, and in the early years, raising chickens and selling eggs to neighbors, and should anyone want to stay for a visit, her cookie jars were always filled. She was a 4-H leader during her daughters’ youth, and enjoyed her homemakers group, loved crossword puzzles and traveling, visiting 49 states and numerous countries.
After a severe stroke in 2007, Evelyn entered into the nursing home and passed away on November 10, 2012, at the Sanford Canby Medical Center.
She is survived by daughters, Ruth (Dennis) Griffis of Cottage Grove, MN, and Carol Anderson of Marina del Rey, CA; granddaughter, Molly Griffis; sister, Harriet Erickson of Madison, SD; other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; a twin sister, Elsie Nelson; brothers-in-law, Verlyn Nelson and Allan Anderson; and three infant siblings.