Lois Anderson

October 10, 1919 – December 23, 2015

Lois Anderson, a longtime resident of East Wenatchee, passed away December 23, 2015, at the age of 96. She was born October 10, 1919 in Hanson, Okla. to Fred and Irene Staffan. Lois will be remembered for her love of life and family, her beautiful smile and sweet gentle spirit.

On Feb. 10, 1938, she married Oscar Anderson at Fort Smith, Ark., who was the love of her life for over 70 years. During the early 1940s they moved to California and worked as welders in the shipyards during World War II. When the war ended, they returned to Oklahoma and purchased 160 acres and raised cattle. During the next several years, they would travel to California and work in the cotton fields to return to Oklahoma each fall to round up their free-range cattle. They later moved to Yakima, Wash. where Lois was a homemaker and Oscar worked in Alaska, worked at Hanford and worked as a welder at most of the dams on the Columbia River.

In 1965 they moved their family to East Wenatchee, Wash. and purchased a 20-acre tract of land, and thus began their orchard career. Over the next several years, they received numerous awards for their accomplishments, including the 1973 Conservationist of the Year Award and Stemilt Grower’s Awards including, Red Delicious Grower of the Year in 1987 and 1993, Progressive Grower Award 1993 and Gala Grower of the Year in 1999. A sideline of the family business was raising quarter horses with their daughter, Tera, and traveling all over the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. At one time, they had over 37 quarter horses on their farm and had numerous state, regional and national awards to show for their efforts.

After Oscar’s death in 2008, Lois took over as the matriarch of the family by mentoring over five generations of family until her death. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the joy of her life and she cherished their daily visits as much as they adored her. There was rarely a day that her home was not full of family on a consistent basis. Lois’s door was always open; she was the best listener. She didn’t always give advice, but she always had a way of making everyone feel special. Lois and Oscar both exemplified the standards by which her family will live by for generations to come.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Oscar Anderson; three sisters and two brothers and grandchildren Mark Anderson and Daryl Anderson. Survivors include son Jesse (Nina) Anderson of East Wenatchee, Wash.; daughters Beverly (Michael) Anderson-Crowner, Carolyn Davis, and Tera (Virgil) Redwine of Moses Lake, Wash.; grandchildren Steven Anderson, Lisa Nunez, Linda Snyder, Tim Davis, Todd Davis, and Jesi Richardson; great-grandchildren Tyler Anderson, Beau Anderson, Ashley Anderson, Dane Anderson, Abby Lewis, Jake Lewis, Gabrielle Davis and Ethan Davis; and great-great-great-grandchildren Mason Richardson, Brody Richardson, Savanna Lewis, and Rubee Lee Anderson.

The family would like to thank all of the staff at Central Washington Hospice for their kindness and support during this extremely challenging time for our family.

Services will be held at Eastmont Baptist Church Tuesday, Jan. 5 2016 at 11 a.m. and a celebration of life potluck will be held immediately following the service.

In memory, please donate to Confluence Health Foundation “Hospice.” Arrangements by Telfords Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee. Wash.