Eleanor (Larson) Anderson

Eleanor (Larson) Anderson
October 19, 1916 • July 15, 2016
Eleanor (Larson) Anderson was born October 19, 1916 in Artichoke Township, Big Stone County, to Michael and Minda (Stenstuen) Larson. Eleanor was baptized and confirmed at Drywood Lutheran Church, where she later sang in the choir, attended the Ladies Aid Society, served at church suppers, and taught kindergarten children in the Bible school.  Eleanor graduated from a one-room rural school, District 65.
October 21, 1937, Eleanor was married, at her parents’ home, to Willard Anderson. They had two children, Myron and Marsha.  Eleanor and Willard farmed one of the original Anderson homesteads at Artichoke Lake, and for several years during the heyday of fishing on Artichoke Lake, they also ran a boat rental business.
In 1956, they moved to Chokio where Willard was the manager of the Federated Telephone Company.  In 1964, Eleanor and Willard moved to Benson when Willard became the manager of Agralite Electric Cooperative.  In 1979, they retired and returned to live at Artichoke Lake. 
They travelled widely throughout the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, and they were especially drawn to the coastal areas of Florida, Texas, California, Washington, and the Yucatan Peninsula. In 1978, they made a memorable trip to Denmark and Norway to do genealogical research, visit ancestral <img src="/sites, and talk with relatives.  Willard passed away in 1981, and 10 years later Eleanor left Minnesota to live with her daughter in New England.
Eleanor loved gardens, wildlife, birds, fishing, cats, seashells, music, ballroom dancing, films, books, ceramics, and crafts of all kinds.  She was exceptionally skilled at crochet work, embroidery, and knitting.  During the last quarter century of her life, she took delight in the New England landscape, from the White Mountains to the Atlantic coast.  Above all, Eleanor valued the quiet beauty of country life and visits with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Eleanor passed away Friday, July 15, 2016 at the age of 99 years, eight months, and 26 days.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Willard Anderson; her parents, Michael and Minda Larson; her sisters, Mildred Van Winkle and Luella Jagow; her brother, Melvin Larson; her sisters-in-law, Alice Larson and Erna Larson; her brothers-in-law, Edward Haven, Howard VanWinkle, Clarence Jagow, and Ken Saulsbury; her daughter-in-law, Sally Anderson; her granddaughter, Claudia Anderson; and her step-grandson, Jack Tollakson.
Eleanor is survived by her siblings, Chester Larson and Gerda Saulsbury; her son, Myron Anderson; her daughter Marsha White; her grandsons Kai (and Bethany) Peterson and Draper White; her step-grandchildren, Nora Hanson and Scott Tollakson; her great-grandson, Fritz Spohr; and her great-granddaughter, Caitland Peterson.
Eleanor’s ashes will be buried in the Drywood Cemetery in Swift County, and a celebration of Eleanor’s life will be held in Minnesota a few months from now.