John Nels Anderson M.D.

1946 - 2019

John Nels Anderson, M.D., Mayor of Soldotna, Alaska, and beloved husband, father and friend left us here on Earth after a hard-fought battle with health complications. Nels was born on Feb. 28, 1946, in Bangor, Northern Ireland, to Wendell Anderson and Mabel Joyce Bleakley. The oldest of their six children, he spent the first few months of his life in Northern Ireland with his mother while on a waiting list with all the British War brides that were to be joining their American husbands via converted troop carriers. At 10 months old, Nels finally arrived at his permanent childhood home in Logan, Utah.
Services will be held on Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, at the Soldotna Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 159 West Marydale Avenue in Soldotna. There will be a viewing Sunday evening, Sept. 15, 2019, from 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Church and Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, from 2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. The Funeral Service will begin at 4 p.m., and interment to follow at Soldotna Memorial Park. There will be a Community Gathering in Nels honor held at the Soldotna Sports Center from 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. All who would like to pay respects are encouraged to attend.
As a child, "Johnny" Nels enjoyed playing sports of all kinds, with a special affinity for basketball and baseball. He could often be found on top of a tree with his radio in hand, listening to the Brooklyn Dodgers play. One early claim to fame was having his arm broken by boyhood friend, and future NFL Hall of Famer, Merlin Olsen, while playing pick-up football in the park that now bears Merlin's name.
Nels began his lifelong affiliation with the Boy Scouts at a young age. His mother, Joyce, started one of the first Cub Scout Pack in Cache Valley and Nels was a member of it. He would later go on to become one of the first Eagle Scouts to come out of that troop. Along with Scouting, another pastime that Nels developed in his youth was a genuine love and respect for the outdoors, and a passion for hunting and fishing.
Nels graduated from Logan High School in 1963. He started his undergraduate work at Utah State University that fall, where he met Carla, his wife of 54 years, in class their freshman year. They married in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Feb. 15, 1965. Shortly after, they relocated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to continue their undergraduate studies. While in Saskatoon, Nels earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in biochemistry from the University of Saskatchewan. During this time Nels began his life of public service, serving as the Graduate Student Representative on the Student Council.
Nels graduated from medical school from the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1976. He joined the United States Air Force in 1973, while in medical school. He was assigned to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland upon graduation.
While at Andrews Air Force Base, Nels completed his residency in family practice at Malcolm Grow Medical Center and went on to complete a fellowship in complicated obstetrics and infertility. Nels was ecstatic when he was reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, where he could practice medicine and pursue his love of hunting and fishing. Nels, Carla and family made the move to Elmendorf AFB in 1980.
In the spring of 1981, Nels had the rare opportunity to travel to England and study directly with Steptoe and Edwards, the infertility specialists behind the first successful test-tube baby. Nels knew immediately this was to be his calling in life.
Nels and Carla had decided they wanted to make Alaska their forever home. Upon discharge from the Air Force in 1983, they moved to Soldotna, and have called the Peninsula home ever since.
During his 36 years in Soldotna, Nels made his mark on his community in many ways. Family physician, IVF specialist, public servant, Boy Scout leader, church leader, dog musher and gardener are a few of the many titles by which he is known.
As a family physician, Nels always put his patients as his top priority. Obstetrics was his favorite part of family medicine, and he was the only IVF doctor doing test-tube babies in the state of Alaska. Over the course of his career, Nels delivered more than 5,000 babies, with more than 300 of them test-tube babies. Bringing those little miracles to those families is the true legacy he leaves behind. Nels held various titles medically throughout his carrier. He was the Chief of Staff at the Central Peninsula General Hospital two separate times, and served as the President of the Alaska chapter of the American Cancer Society. Nels was awarded as the Alaskan Family Physician of the Year in 1999.
Nels lived by an ideology that it is our obligation to take care of one another. He deeply believed that service to others was service to God - especially, public service. Nels took a seat on the Kenai Peninsula School Board and served the students of the community for 16 years, serving as the President for many of those years. Nels was elected to serve on the Soldotna City Council from 2009-2012, where he was instrumental in the creation of the Soldotna Community Memorial Park, Soldotna's first cemetery. In 2014, Nels began his first term as Soldotna City Mayor. He would serve until he left for his Mission in West Africa in 2016. Nels served a second term as Mayor upon his return in 2017, which he held until his death.
Throughout Nels entire life he remained active in the Boy Scouts. Nels held numerous titles including: Scout Master, Troop Committee Chair, District Committee Chair and Advancement Chair. Nels loved sharing his love and passion for scouting with those around him. He helped countless young men achieve merit badges, led them on high adventure outings and guided many of them to earning their own Eagle Scout awards, including four of his sons and five grandsons. Nels was awarded the Silver Beaver, the highest honor given by a Boy Scout Council, a token of his lifelong dedication.
Nels was an active and devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many capacities during his lifetime. From teaching Sunday school to serving as the Bishop, he treated every calling with the same amount of respect and vigor.
Those that knew Nels best will remember him for a few of his passions outside of his service. He was an avid gardener and grew and cross-pollinated gladiolas all around town - a tribute to his father. He enjoyed Dutch oven cooking with his wife. They started the Alaska chapter of the International Dutch Oven Society, and sponsored the first competitions held at Soldotna Days and The Alaska State Fair. He even competed at the World Dutch Oven Cook-off in Utah.
Upon his move to Alaska, Nels wanted to embrace all things Alaska, including taking up the sport of dog mushing after being asked to sponsor a local musher. Like everything else in Nels' life, he didn't do anything halfway. A mere five months after his first time mushing, he ran and completed his first Iditarod race in 1987. He would go on to run the race two more times in 1991 and 1992. After his racing days had passed, he continued to support the local mushing community, and was given the honor of being the Race Marshal for the Tustamena 200. Nels also owned a commercial setnet fishing site, which his sons worked diligently to pay their way through college.
Last but not least, it is important to note that Nels bled Dodger blue and has convinced all of his children they do too. Some of his fondest memories were of cheering on his Dodgers. He attended World Series games in Los Angeles, Calif., in both 2017 and 2018, including cheering on the Dodgers to win the longest game in World Series history.
Nels will be remembered for his love for his fellowman, giving service above all and truly exemplifying a statement you often heard him telling his scouts, "Character is what you do when nobody is watching." He was the true leader of his family and led by example to his seven children, 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Nels is survived by his wife, Carla; five sons, Hubert (Elaine Jones) of Salt Lake City, Utah, Jeremy (Laura Sozio) of Hermiston, Ore., Matt (Valerie Popper) of Kansas City, Mo., Nate (Allison Bingham) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Deryk (Julia Sullivan) of Palmer, Alaska; two daughters, Carissa of Anchorage and Rebecca (Derek Johnson) of Heber City, Utah; his three brothers, Bryan, Kim and Deryk Anderson; and two sisters, Elizabeth Wooton and Melanie Wadsworth.