Donald "Don" Oscar Anderson

Don Anderson, 93, died Tuesday, October 13, 2020, at Sanford Medical Center in Bemidji, MN.

Private family services will be held.

Donald Oscar Anderson was born August 19, 1927, in Wheaton, MN to Frank & Mabel Anderson (both Swedish immigrants). After high school Don served in the US Army during the demobilization period of WWII. He served as a baker on a ship that was assigned to the Pacific region near Japan. After his service he attended North Dakota State School of Science, graduating on June 2, 1949, with an Associate Degree in Accounting. On April 8, 1950, he married his sweetheart Norma Stanbra in Breckenridge, MN. They made their first home in Langdon, ND where Don began his lifelong career with the REA (Rural Electric Association). In 1964 the family relocated to Bemidji, MN, where Don was employed at Beltrami Electric Cooperative. As much as he loved the work for his cooperative community, attaining the position of general manager, he happily retired October 21, 1989. He did accounting work as a side business his entire working life and retained many clients from the Langdon area. He did taxes for the family and handled the accounting work for several family businesses and long-time clients until he was nearly 90 years old. 

Don was a very accomplished musician, able to play many musical instruments including trumpet, piano, accordion, ukulele, and violin – all the more remarkable because he was self-taught. His love for music is further shown by his enormous collection of big band era albums – stuffed into every nook and cranny of the house. He was also an avid football fan, to the point of needing 7 VCR’s running daily in order to capture all of the college and professional games being played. He looked forward to winter only because it would take him all of those months to get through every one of these recorded games, just in time for the new season to start! But his biggest love was his family – his beloved Norma, and his children, grandchildren & great grandchildren – each of whom he anticipated and welcomed one by one with great joy.

Don is survived by his wife, Norma; children, Tom (Sally) Anderson, Dave (Roberta) Anderson, Dianne Anderson, Donna Howe, and Tim Anderson; 14 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren and counting; brother, Kenny, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Manley & sister-in-law Rose; sisters Amy Meyer & Millie Trost; brothers-in-law Julien Meyer, Mert Trost, Bud Stanbra, Dan Stanley, Lyle Stanbra & sister-in-law Patricia Stanbra, Lynn Stanbra; and niece Terri Anderson.

Guestbook at www.OlsonSchwartzFuneralHome.com