Jerome Anderson

Jerome A. "Jerry" Anderson, age 88, of rural Atwater, died Tuesday evening, May 27, at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 6, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Jerry's body is being donated to the Mayo Clinic for research. Interment of ashes will be at a later date at Union Cemetery in Atwater.

Jerome Anderson, the son of Arnold and Selma (Birkeland) Anderson, was born September 23, 1925, in Lake Elizabeth Township, rural Atwater. He was baptized as an infant at Tripolis Evangelical Lutheran Church, rural Kandiyohi, and confirmed in the Christian faith in May, 1939, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Atwater. He grew up in the Atwater area attending country school, District #58, rural Atwater, through the eighth grade. He graduated from Atwater High School in May of 1943. His mother, Selma, died when she was 33 years old on July 14, 1936, when Jerry was ten years old. Surviving Selma's death with Jerry were also his twin brother, James, and two younger sisters Elaine and LaVonne. His father, Arnold, remarried Anna Ringstrom, on March 19, 1940, and from Anna's first married years to her death on August 3, 2003, Anna held a special relationship as step-mother. Jerry's father, Arnold, died August 21, 1984. Jerry was actively involved in farming all his life in Lake Elizabeth Township, rural Atwater and retired from farming in 1990. Jerry was an active member of his community and, since 1991 has been an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar.

He is survived by his sister, Elaine Anderstrom of Willmar; sister-in-law, Delores Anderson, of New Hope; brother-in-law, Gerald Peterson of Pismo Beach, CA; eleven nieces and nephews; several grand-nieces and nephews; and special friend, Elsie Potter of Atwater, besides numerous other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Selma, his father, Arnold, and his step-mother, Anna; his twin brother, James; sister, LaVonne Peterson and brother-in-law, Roger Anderstrom.

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