William E Anderson (1936 - 2011)

Born 1936 in Moscow, Idaho, United States

Ancestors

Biography

Obituary

William E. Anderson, 75, a retired Moscow, Idaho attorney and active civic leader, died peacefully Friday, December 2, 2011 from complications following surgery. He was surrounded by loved ones. A memorial celebration will be held on Saturday, December 17 at 1:00 pm at the Moscow Church of the Nazarene, 1400 East 7th Street Moscow, ID 83843.

Bill was born to William and Florence Oberg Anderson at the family home in Moscow, Idaho. After graduating from Moscow High School, he enrolled in the University of Idaho and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business in 1959. Following graduation, he attended officer’s candidate school and served four years in the U.S. Navy. He loved being a navigator and enjoyed studying the stars. He was a loyal member of the SAE fraternity, serving the chapter and its members from his heart. On October 29, 2011, he received the Merit Key Award, SAE’s second highest honor. He was thrilled by this recognition and the time he spent with much loved brothers.

Bill returned to Moscow where he worked at First Federal Savings and Loan for a year and then enrolled at the University Of Idaho College Of Law. He served as Alternate Police Judge and Alternate Justice of the Peace in 1964, Police Judge and Justice of the Peace in 1965-66, Probate Judge Pro-Tem in 1967 and deputy prosecuting attorney. Upon graduation, he joined the law office of Felton and Bielenberg and later became a partner. The firm became Bielenberg, Anderson and Walker.

In 1969, Bill was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Latah County and served two terms. He excelled in the courtroom, and liked serving clients in private practice. He appreciated knowing he had helped people. Bill was committed to the local community through volunteer work such as the Executive Board for the University of Idaho Alumni Association and served as President in 1979-80. He also served on the American Festival Ballet Board of Directors, Moscow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, KUID Board of Directors, Central Business District Committee, Moscow Downtown Association to name a few.

Bill believed in a thriving downtown and the small business owner. He was influential in rerouting traffic to Jackson and Washington streets, planting trees and revitalizing Main Street. Throughout his life he owned property in downtown Moscow and took an active interest in the people and shops that make it so inviting.

Bill was always passing on wisdom and giving lessons. We could count on him for insight on work ethic; maneuvering the boat into the boathouse; navigating the St. Joe River; balancing the books; Washington politics; tax law and estate planning; grading the driveway; building fence; philanthropy and compassion; religion and the history of Jesus.

Bill appreciated nature and animals and was delighted by the wildlife around his home on Moscow Mountain. He was a gifted athlete and enjoyed all things physical including golf, racquetball, skiing, and boating. He loved jumping the wake and slapping his skis on the water; growing geraniums and begonias; a good book; eating lots of Dungeness crab; attending Vandal games; singing made up songs in the shower; the color green, the number 7 and fireworks with a big bang. He made Potatis Korv sausage to celebrate his Swedish heritage. Cruising on his 1954 Ford Jubilee tractor gave him great joy.

He is survived by his long time companion Sue Smith; his daughters, Pamela Smallwood and husband Neil of Houston and Anne Anderson of Palouse; his cousins Mary Miller Lyon, Kathryn Anderson and Nancy Ruth Peterson of Moscow; John Miller of Sequim; and his much-loved dogs Johnson and Maggie.

In lieu of flowers, donations on behalf of William E. Anderson can be made to:

Palouse Humane Society

http://www.humanesocietyofthepalouse.org/index.html

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

http://www.emmanuelmoscow.org/

University of Idaho – Arboretum

http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/arboretum/membership.html

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Short’s Funeral Chapel, Moscow.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ http://shortsfuneralchapel.com/archives/734

• "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VY45-HZ1 : accessed 29 January 2015), William E Anderson in household of William Anderson, Ward 3, Moscow, Southeast Moscow Election Precinct, Latah, Idaho, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 29-12, sheet 4B, family 77, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 749.