WOODBURN, Ore. - Great Falls native and former Fort Benton resident Frank William Anderson, 57, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran minister who was a Park and Rec coach and involved in all of his children's activities, died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma Thursday in Woodburn, Ore.
A celebration of his life is 11 a.m. Friday at the Hope Lutheran Church in Woodburn. Simon-Woodburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Flath, of Woodburn; daughter and son-in-law Katrina and Chris Garcia and granddaughters Alyse and Isabella; daughter Angelica Anderson and sons Frank Anderson III and Paul Anderson, all of the Woodburn area; his sister and brother-in-law Alice and Don Honrud of Fort Benton; brothers and sisters-in-law Bruce and Lynnette Anderson and Jack and Teri Anderson, all of Vancouver, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.
Frank was born Nov. 21, 1950, in Great Falls to Frank and Cecelia Anderson. He spent his childhood in Fort Benton, where he attended Fort Benton schools, graduating with honors in 1969. He was very active in academics, speech, drama and football. He attended and graduated from Concordia College in Portland, Ore., received a bachelor's degree in 1973 from Concordia College in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., MDIV in 1976; received a degree in communications in 1993 from Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.; and a master's in special education in 1996 from Portland State University in Portland, Ore.
He met and married his wife, Karen Mae Flath, in 1973. Together they had four children, two girls and two boys, and eventually made their home in Woodburn, Ore.
Frank served his Lord as Missionary at Large at Arizona State University in Tempe. He moved to Irvine, Calif., to work as an admis-sions counselor at Christ College, then served Peace Lutheran Church as minister in Tustin, Calif.
He received a call from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Washougal, Wash., and moved from there to Woodburn, serving as pastor to Hope Lutheran Church until completely losing his sight and retiring from the ministry. He continued to teach special needs children at Silverton School in Silverton, Ore., until retiring in 2007 because of health reasons.
Frank always stayed involved with his children and all of their activities. He was a Park and Rec coach in soccer, basketball and softball. He was a member of the Park Board in Woodburn, a member of Kiwanis and was involved with the Willamette Writing Project.
He suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, losing his sight as a young man, but it didn't hinder his love of learning new avenues of work. He encouraged others to learn and overcome handicaps of any kind. He was extremely devoted to his granddaughters, and they kept him busy and happy during his illnesses. His life journey took him to a higher place and he will truly be missed.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances can be sent to Lutheran Braille Workers Inc., P.O. Box 5000, Yucaipa, CA 92399.
Condolences may be posted online at www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
A celebration of his life is 11 a.m. Friday at the Hope Lutheran Church in Woodburn. Simon-Woodburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Flath, of Woodburn; daughter and son-in-law Katrina and Chris Garcia and granddaughters Alyse and Isabella; daughter Angelica Anderson and sons Frank Anderson III and Paul Anderson, all of the Woodburn area; his sister and brother-in-law Alice and Don Honrud of Fort Benton; brothers and sisters-in-law Bruce and Lynnette Anderson and Jack and Teri Anderson, all of Vancouver, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.
Frank was born Nov. 21, 1950, in Great Falls to Frank and Cecelia Anderson. He spent his childhood in Fort Benton, where he attended Fort Benton schools, graduating with honors in 1969. He was very active in academics, speech, drama and football. He attended and graduated from Concordia College in Portland, Ore., received a bachelor's degree in 1973 from Concordia College in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., MDIV in 1976; received a degree in communications in 1993 from Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.; and a master's in special education in 1996 from Portland State University in Portland, Ore.
He met and married his wife, Karen Mae Flath, in 1973. Together they had four children, two girls and two boys, and eventually made their home in Woodburn, Ore.
Frank served his Lord as Missionary at Large at Arizona State University in Tempe. He moved to Irvine, Calif., to work as an admis-sions counselor at Christ College, then served Peace Lutheran Church as minister in Tustin, Calif.
He received a call from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Washougal, Wash., and moved from there to Woodburn, serving as pastor to Hope Lutheran Church until completely losing his sight and retiring from the ministry. He continued to teach special needs children at Silverton School in Silverton, Ore., until retiring in 2007 because of health reasons.
Frank always stayed involved with his children and all of their activities. He was a Park and Rec coach in soccer, basketball and softball. He was a member of the Park Board in Woodburn, a member of Kiwanis and was involved with the Willamette Writing Project.
He suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, losing his sight as a young man, but it didn't hinder his love of learning new avenues of work. He encouraged others to learn and overcome handicaps of any kind. He was extremely devoted to his granddaughters, and they kept him busy and happy during his illnesses. His life journey took him to a higher place and he will truly be missed.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances can be sent to Lutheran Braille Workers Inc., P.O. Box 5000, Yucaipa, CA 92399.
Condolences may be posted online at www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
WOODBURN, Ore. - Great Falls native and former Fort Benton resident Frank William Anderson, 57, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran minister who was a Park and Rec coach and involved in all of his children's activities, died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma Thursday in Woodburn, Ore.
A celebration of his life is 11 a.m. Friday at the Hope Lutheran Church in Woodburn. Simon-Woodburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Flath, of Woodburn; daughter and son-in-law Katrina and Chris Garcia and granddaughters Alyse and Isabella; daughter Angelica Anderson and sons Frank Anderson III and Paul Anderson, all of the Woodburn area; his sister and brother-in-law Alice and Don Honrud of Fort Benton; brothers and sisters-in-law Bruce and Lynnette Anderson and Jack and Teri Anderson, all of Vancouver, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.
Frank was born Nov. 21, 1950, in Great Falls to Frank and Cecelia Anderson. He spent his childhood in Fort Benton, where he attended Fort Benton schools, graduating with honors in 1969. He was very active in academics, speech, drama and football. He attended and graduated from Concordia College in Portland, Ore., received a bachelor's degree in 1973 from Concordia College in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., MDIV in 1976; received a degree in communications in 1993 from Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.; and a master's in special education in 1996 from Portland State University in Portland, Ore.
He met and married his wife, Karen Mae Flath, in 1973. Together they had four children, two girls and two boys, and eventually made their home in Woodburn, Ore.
Frank served his Lord as Missionary at Large at Arizona State University in Tempe. He moved to Irvine, Calif., to work as an admis-sions counselor at Christ College, then served Peace Lutheran Church as minister in Tustin, Calif.
He received a call from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Washougal, Wash., and moved from there to Woodburn, serving as pastor to Hope Lutheran Church until completely losing his sight and retiring from the ministry. He continued to teach special needs children at Silverton School in Silverton, Ore., until retiring in 2007 because of health reasons.
Frank always stayed involved with his children and all of their activities. He was a Park and Rec coach in soccer, basketball and softball. He was a member of the Park Board in Woodburn, a member of Kiwanis and was involved with the Willamette Writing Project.
He suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, losing his sight as a young man, but it didn't hinder his love of learning new avenues of work. He encouraged others to learn and overcome handicaps of any kind. He was extremely devoted to his granddaughters, and they kept him busy and happy during his illnesses. His life journey took him to a higher place and he will truly be missed.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances can be sent to Lutheran Braille Workers Inc., P.O. Box 5000, Yucaipa, CA 92399.
Condolences may be posted online at www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
A celebration of his life is 11 a.m. Friday at the Hope Lutheran Church in Woodburn. Simon-Woodburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Flath, of Woodburn; daughter and son-in-law Katrina and Chris Garcia and granddaughters Alyse and Isabella; daughter Angelica Anderson and sons Frank Anderson III and Paul Anderson, all of the Woodburn area; his sister and brother-in-law Alice and Don Honrud of Fort Benton; brothers and sisters-in-law Bruce and Lynnette Anderson and Jack and Teri Anderson, all of Vancouver, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.
Frank was born Nov. 21, 1950, in Great Falls to Frank and Cecelia Anderson. He spent his childhood in Fort Benton, where he attended Fort Benton schools, graduating with honors in 1969. He was very active in academics, speech, drama and football. He attended and graduated from Concordia College in Portland, Ore., received a bachelor's degree in 1973 from Concordia College in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., MDIV in 1976; received a degree in communications in 1993 from Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.; and a master's in special education in 1996 from Portland State University in Portland, Ore.
He met and married his wife, Karen Mae Flath, in 1973. Together they had four children, two girls and two boys, and eventually made their home in Woodburn, Ore.
Frank served his Lord as Missionary at Large at Arizona State University in Tempe. He moved to Irvine, Calif., to work as an admis-sions counselor at Christ College, then served Peace Lutheran Church as minister in Tustin, Calif.
He received a call from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Washougal, Wash., and moved from there to Woodburn, serving as pastor to Hope Lutheran Church until completely losing his sight and retiring from the ministry. He continued to teach special needs children at Silverton School in Silverton, Ore., until retiring in 2007 because of health reasons.
Frank always stayed involved with his children and all of their activities. He was a Park and Rec coach in soccer, basketball and softball. He was a member of the Park Board in Woodburn, a member of Kiwanis and was involved with the Willamette Writing Project.
He suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, losing his sight as a young man, but it didn't hinder his love of learning new avenues of work. He encouraged others to learn and overcome handicaps of any kind. He was extremely devoted to his granddaughters, and they kept him busy and happy during his illnesses. His life journey took him to a higher place and he will truly be missed.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances can be sent to Lutheran Braille Workers Inc., P.O. Box 5000, Yucaipa, CA 92399.
Condolences may be posted online at www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
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