Leland Marion Anderson

1943 - 2025

DELAND - Leland Marion Anderson, 82, was welcomed into the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sept. 27, 2025, and returned to his final earthly resting place in Smolan, Kansas. A Celebration of Life service will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, at Lindsborg Covenant Church, 102 S. Washington St. in Lindsborg, Kansas. Live-streaming of the service will be available at www.lindsborgcov.org.
Leland was born Jan. 23, 1943, in Salina, Kansas, to Arthur Anderson and Alice [Bergquist] Anderson.
After his father returned from serving in World War II, the family lived on a small dairy farm near Smolan, Kansas, in a tight-knit community of descendants of Swedish immigrants.
Leland attended Lindsborg High School, where he played basketball while juggling responsibilities of school, FFA, 4H, and working the dairy farm with his parents. He went on to complete a degree in dairy science at Kansas State University, while milking cows in the K-State College Dairy.
During his first year at K-State, Leland met Patsy Ollene Folsom through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. They were married in December 1963. In 1967 and 1969, respectively, they were blessed with two daughters, Debra Beth [Anderson] Lemons and Wendy Belinda Anderson.
After college, Leland shifted from farming to the business side of dairy when he accepted a position with the Kansas Farm Bureau. There, he rapidly gained invaluable experience with management and business strategies of the dairy industry, which led him to mid- and executive-level management opportunities with the cooperative that later became the Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI).
The family moved to Wichita, Kansas, and in 1971, relocated to the AMPI corporate headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, where he served dairy farmers throughout the Midwest for nearly 20 years.
As empty-nesters, Leland and Patsy embarked on a new adventure in 1987, and headed west to Salt Lake City, Utah. There, Leland served the dairy farmers of the Western and mountain states as general manager and CEO of Western Dairymen Cooperative Inc. (WDCI).
After eight years of enjoying the mountain views and NBA basketball, Leland's leadership and track record were sought out by Yakima Grape Growers Inc. in Richland, Washington, where he once again improved the company's market position toward a successful merger with Welch's Grape Co.
In 1999, Leland and Patsy crossed the country to DeLand, where Leland entered the citrus processing and distribution industry at Golden 100, then launched Sunny Hill International in 2005.
In this venture, he and a trusted partner leveraged their combined knowledge, experience and relationships to develop and broker unique food and beverage products throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Their move to Florida coincided with relocations of both Debra and Wendy to Florida, giving Leland and Patsy the opportunity to enjoy their growing family as three grandchildren arrived.
Leland was a man of God who served his wife, family, friends and business associates with integrity, respect and abundant care. He and Patsy committed themselves to church, service and fellowship with friends wherever they lived. His life was defined by a spirit of servant leadership, steadfast faith and unconditional love and service to God, his family, and others who crossed his path.
Leland was preceded in death by his parents and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He is survived by his wife, Patsy; daughters Debra Lemons (Tim) and Wendy Anderson; grandchildren Kenneth Lemons, Taylor Lemons, Kallista Lemons and Clara Wait; sister LaVonne (Anderson) Farney; and beloved cousins and nieces.
Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer's Disease Research, c/o BrightFocus Foundation Program, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871 at 855-345-6237 or BrightFocus.org/ADRmatch" target="_blank">BrightFocus.org/ADRmatch.