John Nels Anderson M.D.

1946 - 2019

John Nels Anderson, M.D.
2/28/1946 - 9/10/2019
John Nels Anderson, MD, Mayor of Soldotna, and beloved Husband, Father, and Friend left us here on Earth after a hard-fought battle with health complications. Nels was born on February 28th, 1946, in Bangor, Northern Ireland to Wendell Anderson and Mabel Joyce Bleakley. The oldest of 6 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.
As a child, "Johnny" Nels enjoyed playing sports of all kinds with an affinity for basketball and baseball. He could often be found on top of a tree with a 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 pickup 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 packs in Cache Valley with Nels as a member. He would go on to become one of the first Eagle Scouts to come out of that group. Along with Scouting, Nels developed in his youth 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, ID, on February 15th, 1965. They relocated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to continue their undergraduate studies where Nels earned both his bachelors and masters 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 1976. He had joined the US Air Force in 1973 and was assigned to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland upon graduation.
While at Andrews, Nels completed his residency in Family Practice at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, and completed a Fellowship in Complicated Obstetrics and Infertility. In 1980, Nels was ecstatic when he was reassigned to Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, AK, where he could practice medicine and pursue his love of hunting and fishing.
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 to make Alaska their forever home. Upon discharge from the Air Force in 1983, they moved to Soldotna, and have called the Kenai Peninsula home ever since.
As a Family Physician, patients were his top priority. Obstetrics was his favorite part of family medicine, and he was the only in-vitro fertilization doctor in the State of Alaska. Over the course of his career, Nels delivered over 5,000 babies, with over 300 of them test tube babies. Bringing those little miracles to those families is the true legacy he leaves behind. He served as the Chief of Staff at the Central Peninsula General Hospital twice and the President of the Alaskan 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 was elected to a seat on the Kenai Peninsula School Board and served the students of the community for 16 years. He was elected to serve on the Soldotna City Council from 2009- 2012. 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 positions including: Scout Master, Troop Committee Chair, District Committee Chair, and Advancement Chair. He helped countless young men develop a love of scouting and earn their Eagle Scout. Nels was awarded the Silver Beaver in recognition of his lifelong dedication.
Nels was a 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 bishop, he treated every calling with the same amount of respect and vigor.
Nels was an avid gardener and cross-pollinated gladiolas that he planted all around town - a tribute to his father Wendell.
Nels embraced 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 go halfway. A mere 5 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 (1991, 1992).
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 7 children, 19 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
Nels is survived by his wife Carla, 5 sons, Hubert (Elaine Jones) Salt Lake City, UT: Jeremy (Laura Sozio) Hermiston, OR: Matt (Valerie Popper) Kansas City, MO: Nate (Allison Bingham) Anchorage, AK: Deryk (Julia Sullivan) Palmer, AK. Two daughters, Carissa of Anchorage, AK: Rebecca (Derek Johnson) Heber City, UT. His 3 brothers; Bryan, Kim, and Deryk Anderson and two sisters Elizabeth Wooton and Melanie Wadsworth.
Services will be held on Monday, September 16th, 2019, at the Soldotna Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 159 W. Marydale in Soldotna. There will be a viewing Sunday evening (Sept 15th) from 6:30 - 8 p.m., and Monday from 2:30 - 3:45 p.m. Funeral Service beginning at 4:00 p.m. Interment to follow at Soldotna Community Memorial Park. There will be a community gathering in Nels honor held at the Soldotna Sports Center from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.