On April 3, 2011, Edward W. Anacker came to the end of a long and joyous life in the care of the dedicated staff of Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Ed was born on June 2, 1921, in Chicago, Ill., where he grew up visiting the Field Museum and excelling in school.

When his family visited St. Paul, Minn., when he was 14, he attempted to travel the distance on bike - sleeping in haystacks and fixing flat tires with rubber bands. During the Depression, he graduated at 16 from Helena High School, joined the CCC, worked as a carpenter, and ultimately went to college at Montana State College.

His higher education was interrupted by World War II. Ed was commissioned into the Navy as second in command of a ship where he was responsible for navigation. "I always followed the ship in front of us," was how Ed described the discharge of this duty. A Kamikaze crashed 150 yards off the bow of his ship during the Okinawa campaign.

On a Greyhound bus traveling through North Dakota, he met the angel of his life, Stella E. Lillo. They were married in 1945.

After the war, Ed returned to MSC, received his bachelor's degree in chemistry, and then went on to Cornell University where he gained a doctorate in physical chemistry. While in Ithaca, N.Y., sons, Steven and David, were born. Ed then joined the faculty of the Montana State College chemistry department where he would remain until he taught his last class in 1996 - raising to the rank of full professor and ultimately serving a term as department head. Ed enjoyed and excelled at teaching both undergraduate and graduate students. He also wrote and published numerous research papers.

During the '50s and '60s, Ed loved to fish and climb mountains, leading his children, colleagues and friends on white-knuckle accents up mountains like the Grand Teton. During this time, sons Eric and John joined the tribe.

In the '70s, Ed discovered the peculiar joys of running and biking. His accomplishments included riding a bicycle from the 45th parallel to the Canadian border in under 24 hours, and running 100 miles - up and down mountains in California - in under 30 hours. This last achievement inspired Ed to create the Bridger Ridge Run which bears his name. Ed continued to run to the very end, enjoying his last Wind Drinkers race earlier this year.

Ed was preceded in death by his wife, Stella, and his sister, Marge.

He is survived by his four sons, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and brother, Robert.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 15, at Hope Lutheran Church.

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service; www.dokkennelson.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Bozeman Daily Chronicle from Apr. 6 to Apr. 10, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Edward Anacker

15 Entries

Scott Creel

April 29, 2011

I immediately liked Ed Anacker after I starting bumping into him at BSWD runs and timing track meets 13 years ago. Everything that I subsequently learned about him only increased my admiration. Ed was a rarel model of a life well lived.

April 17, 2011

They don't make 'em like Ed any more. We'll ,miss him more and more as time goes by.

jb

Mike Badolato

April 15, 2011

Ed was the World's slowest runner and when he showed up to the fun runs holding hands with Stella it was the dearest sight...even though he was the World's slowest runner!

David Anacker

April 13, 2011

April 13, 2011

Things I remember Edward Anacker said - - "Don't lie down on the job. Don't take the easy way". Somewhere around our high school years these exhortations would provoke amused smiles amongst their usual targets, his sons. By then we knew the score. Dad was renowned amongst friends and family as one who seldom took the less than inhumanly epic, let alone easy, way as an intramural MSC heavyweight wrestling champ, 50 - 100 mile ultramarathoner, across Montana in a day bicyclist, climb all day and downclimb all night mountaineer, Bridger ridge marathoner.

Quite a few people know of this aspect, but I will remember Dad as wonderful in many additional ways.

He was a father who preferred to declare affection by a lifetime of caring behavior. When he was in graduate school at Cornell the chemistry department PhD program qualifying exam was only passed the first time by two students - - Dad and one other. He had unusual intelligence and was very successful in teaching, research, and administration. But he obviously balanced professional and personal priorities to make time for family and friends.As far as I know, Dad never called in sick in forty plus years as a chemistry professor. During all four children's lengthy and sometimes expensive educations his financial and mentoring assistance were unwaveringly available. During the Vietnam war he evidenced this selflessness further by helping to organize a non prejudicial, multisided campus "teachin".Dad never failed to go the extra mile be a good husband and father. When we were still quite green Dad shepherded all of his four boys up rock climbs including Mountana's Granite Peak, and three different routes on Wyoming's Grand Teton.

One of Dad's salient qualities was a real but unobtrusive humility, rarely showing pride except concerning family members and friends. He said it was important to remember that however smart one might be, there was always somebody smarter. He felt rules were for everybody and although he did not enjoy authoritarian roles he was willing to "walk the walk as well as talk the talk", so to speak.

A big part of Ed Anacker was kindness and playfulness. As a preschooler I remember waiting to hang on his ankles when he walked through the door after work, loving to hear him say he wasn't sure but he possibly felt an ant on his leg and wondered where his boy was. He was want to periodically exclaim in his North Dakota norwegian bride's presence, "Tennn thousend sveeeds, schhhlinkin throoo da veeeeds, chased by vonnn norveegiannn!"

We can take comfort Dad was physically selfsufficient up to less than a month before passing, living a long life fully and surely with few imagineable regrets, well loved by his family and many others.

Patrina Anacker

April 12, 2011

While it has been too many years since my travels back to the lovely home grandpa built, I will always hold him as a treasured part of my childhood memories. I smile as I remember the games of chinese checkers, having him walk me upside down on the ceiling, the great christmas cards, and the warmth of his smile. I wish I could be there to celebrate his life.

Kevin Caughlan

April 12, 2011

I remember Ed at my dad's 90th birthday party at Lindley Park with his many slides of dad and all of their friends skiing up Mt Ellis, the Bridger ridge, the Tetons and all the wonderful stories about those times. What a wonderful memory!! I'll always remember Ed!

Mary DeBerrnardis

April 12, 2011

Dr. Anacker treated his graduate students to a weekend hike at Granite Peak/grasshopper glacier area in l965. I was asked to be the campground cook, but ended up joining them in the hike up the mountain! He will always be commended for the friendships he had with his students along with his excellence in teaching and research. Thank you so much, Ed. :-)

Karen Gibson

April 10, 2011

I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Anacker's passing. He and his wife, Stella, were fixtures of my childhood and terrific role models. I'm so glad they named the Ridge Run in his honor.

Bob and Kathy Wade/Brown

April 7, 2011

The Silver Snails will miss our captain and fearless leader for the Frank Newman Relay. Ed always organizer the relay team of "mature" runners. He finished his leg last year with style.
Bob Wade and Kthay Brown

Rosie Wallander

April 7, 2011

Thank you Ed for being a great person! A few years back you wanted to take your MSC classmates for a little hike. You took them up to the ridge, it was a little to early in the season and the trail was too slick so you had to return to Bozeman. You were laughing so hard when you told me that story!

Micaela Young

April 7, 2011

Ed was always very kind and encouraging. I am sad to hear of his passing and will miss his presence at the Winddrinker events. Even when you were in "marathon zombie" mode he conveyed a kind of faith that you would press on and finish. I appreciated most his warm welcome into the Bozeman running community.

Rob Maher

April 7, 2011

I'll miss seeing Ed's smiling countenance at Big Sky Wind Drinker events, and I know I will always instinctively look for his blue Volkswagen bus at the trailhead. Ed and Stella are forever close in the hearts of Bozeman runners.

Pat Hodge

April 6, 2011

I had the opportunity to meet and work with Ed as a member of the "finish line crew" at the indoor track and field meets at MSU. He always had a smile on his face and a sense of humor to go with the smile. Ed always had the privilege of timing FIRST PLACE in the races. It was apparent that he truly enjoyed his responsibilities as a track meet official. I missed seeing him at the meets this year and being able to share a "sweet or two"--always Ed's favorite. My sincere sympathy is extended to all of Ed's family members. May he be at peace.

Shawna Oostema

April 6, 2011

Anacker Family,
Sorry to hear about the end of the wonderful journey that Ed had on earth. For the past two years I have enjoyed seeing Ed walking the trails every Wednesday with the Big Sky Wind Drinkers. He always took the time to say hi and give me and my daughters a smile and he was always an inspiration for me to keep going. I know he is now smiling down on us and running heaven's trails.

Wyn Jennings

April 6, 2011

For me, as a member of the MSU Chemistry Faculty, Ed was a model that one should emulate. He was dedicated to life writ large, but also to education, science, and to the search for new knowledge through research. When I came to MSU, the salary was barely sufficient to sustain a family and about 1/2 what industry was offering. Ed said to me that it was the tasks(teaching undergraduates and doing research)of an Assistant Professor that was the real salary and driver. The Gallatin Valley environment was the bonus. He remarked that his starting salary was $3200/yr. From thereon, I followed his lead in many ways. He is a hero to me and many others.

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