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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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LaJean Anderson
NISSWA - Granny LaJean Anderson passed away on Sept. 26, 2009. She raised her family in Edina, Minn., but was a Gull Lake and Nisswa summer resident from the early 1950s and a permanent resident since the early 1980s. She and her husband, T.R. "Dick" Anderson, supported many organizations, including her alma mater, the College of St. Benedict, and its neighbor, St. John's University. They were known for their hospitality, including entertaining at their Gull Lake home, known as Tralarden, the monks from Collegeville who came to help at the churches in the Brainerd lakes area during the busy summer months.
She was born in Aberdeen, S.D., on Aug. 21, 1916. Starting with her 50th, her birthday became a day of celebration on the north end of Gull Lake. She appreciated everyone that attended those celebrations. Her parents were Agatha Daly and Lloyd Hurd and she was always proud of the fact that Agatha sat on Sitting Bull's lap!
She graduated from the College of St. Benedict in 1937 and was immediately employed by Northwestern Bell. It was the job of her dreams as she loved to converse with people. She then met T.R. "Dick" Anderson and they were married on Nov. 29, 1941. He passed away on Oct. 13, 1989, and she carried on the traditions at Tralarden. They had a great life together raising their family, traveling and enjoying Tralarden on Gull Lake.
They were also supporters of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library at St. John's; St. Christopher's Catholic Church; Minnesota, Crow Wing County and Nisswa Historical Societies; Gull Lake Yacht Club and Sailing School; North American and Minnesota Manx Societies; and just about every other organization in the Nisswa area. She was an avid Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan and attended a Notre Dame football game every year until she was 90! She was also a Twins fan and threw out the first pitch at a game. She loved the Packers, because there were no Vikings to cheer for during her early years.
In recent years Granny was known to stop by Bar Harbor for a wee bit of Jack and was an honorary member of the rusty zipper club at the counter at Sportland Corners. Since April of this year, she moved to Sunrise of Golden Valley, near her children, where she found a whole new set of friends to listen and appreciate her advice.
Her husband, T.R. Anderson; brothers, Rod Hurd and Harlan Hurd, predeceased her. She is survived by her sons, Thomas Richard Anderson Jr. (Christina Zapffe Anderson), James Hurd Anderson (Ginger Anderson); and her daughters, Judy Brindley (Eric Brindley), Jean Lavelle (John Lavelle) and Sally Dahlquist (Eric Dahlquist); 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
There will be a visitation at the St. Christopher's Catholic Church in Nisswa on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, from 5 to 7 p.m. with a short prayer service at 7 p.m. The funeral will be at the same place with visitation at 10 a.m. and Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, burial after the Mass at Greenwood Cemetery in Nisswa and back to the church for lunch. Donations to St. John's University, College of St. Benedict or St. Christopher's Catholic Church. Arrangements are with Nelson-Doran Funeral Home.
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