LeRoy M. Anderson, 86
LeRoy M. Anderson, 86, passed away in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016.
A remembrance service will be held on Oct. 22, 2016, at First Lutheran Church, 526 S. Olive Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho, at 2 p.m. All are welcome.
LeRoy Malcus Anderson was born to Mike and Leona Anderson, July 1, 1930, in Troy, Idaho. He grew up in Moscow, Idaho, and graduated from Moscow High School in 1949.
LeRoy loved to sing and play piano. He began taking music classes at the University of Idaho but left school to join the Air National Guard with his brother, Merlin. After transferring to the Air Force, LeRoy moved to Long Beach, Calif., and served for two years. While in the service he took courses at Long Beach City College.
After returning to Idaho, LeRoy met his wife, Marilyn Pratt, at his brother Llewellyn’s wedding and they were married six months later. He earned his Bachelor of Art and Architec-ture degree from the University of Idaho. He went to work for Putnam & Dimke architecture firm in Lewiston, designing churches, homes and other buildings. LeRoy and Marilyn started their family with their first three sons, David, Darryl and Larry.
In 1967, LeRoy took a teaching position in Sandpoint and moved the family into a beautiful turn-of-the-century home previously own by the Von Canon family. The home was located in the Sand Creek area where the hospital now sits. LeRoy soon decided to buy 10 acres out in the country where he built his own home and named it Cedar Grove.
LeRoy taught art for 26 years at Sandpoint High School. He also stayed busy with theater, building sets for both the Mime and Masque theater club at the high school and the community Unicorn Theater. Rumor has it from time to time he would build sets for plays in the Andersons’ front living room.
LeRoy loved his students. He loved kids in general. He and Marilyn raised their first three sons and fostered another son, Warren Whitehawk, for 10 years alongside them. LeRoy had a kind and gentle spirit and throughout the years, many struggling kids found him to be an encouraging influence in their lives as he always saw the best in others.
After his first family was raised LeRoy soon found the house much too quiet. He went on a nationwide search and found four siblings in the state of Alabama who had been split up and had only one last chance to be adopted together. LeRoy and Marilyn then raised a second family. As a matter of fact, LeRoy raised kids right up to his last days. He had been raising a third generation grandson and proudly watched him graduate from high school just this past June.
His lifelong interests included singing and playing piano at home, and singing with his wife in the Lutheran church choir; painting and drawing up architecture plans for any housing projects he could; and owning and maintaining his own rental properties.
LeRoy was 100-percent Swedish and proud to carry on his family’s history and customs. The family has fond Christmas memories, as he would celebrate every year by preparing a large feast consisting of Swedish delicacies such as potatiskorv, krum kaka, rosettes and other Swedish pastries.
Most importantly, LeRoy was a devout man of God and looked forward to being with his creator. After struggling with many medical problems at the end of his life, he is no longer suffering and is now with his King and Lord, Jesus Christ.
LeRoy is survived by Marilyn (his wife of 61 years); and his children, David, Darryl, Larry, John, Patricia, Ernie, Harold and their families (including 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren). He is also survived by his brothers, Merlin and Llewellyn Anderson and their wives; and many nephews and nieces.
The family asks that donations be made to the Panhandle Animal Shelter in lieu of flowers.
Family and friends are invited to sign the online guestbook, for LeRoy, at www.coffeltfuneral.com
Final arrangements are under the direction of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.