J. Eldon Anderson

John Eldon Anderson of Sioux Falls died peacefully at Dougherty Hospice House on October 16, 2023.  Eldon was born on February 21, 1930 in Sioux Falls, SD, the son of Axel and Edna (Froseth) Anderson. He was confirmed at Swedona Covenant Church. He graduated from Brandon Valley High School in 1947 and studied music at Augustana College. He was united in marriage to Dorothy Elvira Ericson in 1951. Eldon served as corporal in the 4th Infantry Division band, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Army of the Occupation during the Korean Conflict from 1951-1953. It was during these years that he made his first trip to meet his beloved relatives in the Västerbotten province of Sweden. On his return from the service, he and Dorothy settled in rural Brandon to farm her grandfather’s homestead and start their family.  After eight years of farming, he began a thirty-year sales career, first with Delano Granite and then with Sioux Falls Monument Company. His remarkable memory for names and family connections and his love of meeting and helping people served him well. He continued to sell monuments well into his retirement. The family moved to Sioux Falls in 1966. 

Eldon had a strong faith. He and Dorothy were among the earliest members of the First Covenant Church in Sioux Falls. Throughout his life, he remained a faithful member of this church, and cherished the friends made there. 

Eldon was a lifelong musician, directing and singing in his church choir, and singing with the Norse Glee Club and the Minnehaha Mandskor. He attended Norwegian Sangerfests all over the United States.  In retirement, he played his baritone saxophone in the Augustana Community Concert Band, the Lennox Municipal Band and the New Horizons Band and Jazz Band until he was 90 years old. Retirement gave Eldon and Dorothy more time to visit family and enjoy their lake cabin, to take a return trip to Sweden and Norway, make countless fishing trips to Alaska and northern Minnesota, and spend fifteen winters in Edinburg, Texas, where they made many dear friends.  Eldon also made new friends when he moved to Dow Rummel Village in 2017. 

In addition to music, Eldon loved to collect antique clocks, enjoyed speaking Norwegian, German, and Swedish, and was an avid reader of a wide range of books which he shared freely with others he thought would enjoy them.

 Eldon is survived by his five children Janis (Frank) Rueping of Chicago IL, Karin (Mark) Youngberg of Sioux Falls, Luanne Fondell of Dawson, MN, Mark (Andria) Anderson of Kodiak, AK and Julie (Curtis) Anderson Friesen of Sioux Falls; grandchildren Emily (Nick) Burger, Matthew (Samantha) Rueping, Joel (Carrie) Youngberg, Kia (Tommy) Hofer, Krista Youngberg, Nathaniel (Ellen) Fondell, Elisabeth Fondell (Ben Tokheim), Jonathan (Margaret) Fondell, Anna (Aashish) Baskaran, Jonas Anderson, Baxter (Abby) Anderson, Hunter Friesen (Maggie Stock), Elsa Friesen; and great-grandchildren Annie Burger, Sophie Rueping, Malin, Ehlin and Soren Youngberg, James, Nils, Tor and Svea Hofer, Everly, Oskar, Arlo and Iver Fondell, Ari Tokheim, brother Vernon (Bonnie) Anderson, sister-in-law Joanne Ericson, four nieces and nine nephews.  Preceding him in death: his wife of 65 years, Dorothy, his parents, his sister and brother-in-law Arlyce (Clair) Jacobson, brother-in-law F. Robert Ericson and son-in-law Daniel Fondell.

A service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held Saturday, November 4 at 2pm at Prairie Hills Covenant Church at 6000 East 33rd Street in Sioux Falls with visitation one hour prior to the service. Private burial at Swedona Covenant Church.

Arrangements handled by Heritage Funeral Home.