Richard Watkins Anderson

1937 - 2025

Richard W Anderson completed mortal life, peacefully, on August 25th, 2025 at his home in Wellsville, Utah and joined his eternal companion, Moonyeen Rigby Anderson in the spirit world.

Richard was born July 23 1937 in Brigham City, Utah, the eldest son of Norman Heber Anderson and Esther Watkins Anderson. His early childhood was spent in Logan, Park Valley and Brigham City. These early years were difficult for the Anderson family of three. These were the deepest years of the Great Depression which was followed by World War ll, which started shortly after Richard's fourth birthday. For the rest of his life Richard maintained a distinct memory of the tragedy of Pearl Harbor and the devastation from the war that followed.

Richard attended Central School in Brigham City where the Brigham City Temple now stands. He graduated from Box Elder High School and Seminary in 1954 and 1955. When Richard was eleven years old he took a paper route with the Salt Lake Tribune distributing as many as 100 papers every morning before school. The winter of 1949 was one of record snow and cold requiring walking through deep snow carrying as much as 50 lbs of newspapers in canvas shoulder bags. Richard also worked every summer on local farms picking strawberries, cherries, apricots, tomatoes and peaches as well as thinning peaches, thinning and topping sugar beets and hauling hay. Richard also worked at the Roxy Theater as a projectionist and at the Perry Cannery.

Richard had wonderful school teachers including his own father who gave him a love of history, Elder Boyd K. Packer, who gave him a love of Latter Day Saint church and modern revelation, William H. Griffiths and Lester A. Richardson, who inspired him to become an Engineer. Richard also benefited from great parents, bishops, priesthood leaders and Sunday school teachers who helped him gain a lifetime testimony of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and His precious Gospel.

Richard attended Utah State University from 1955 through 1959 graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering. While at Utah State he met the love of his life, Moonyeen Rigby, They dated for a little over a year before being sealed for time and eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on June 10, 1958. Moonyeen, having already graduated from Utah State taught school while Richard completed his senior year. Richard then promised her that he would take over the husband, father and provider duties so that she could concentrate her time, talents and energy on the higher calling of being a Wife and Mother. Moonyeen accepted this higher calling humbly yet masterly. She never worked outside the home again. She is one of the Lord's most cherished handmaidens. She returned to His presence on June 8, 2024 after 66 years of marriage to Richard.

Upon graduation from Utah State, Richard and Moonyeen moved to California where Richard joined the Hewlett Packard Company as a design engineer. While working there Richard earned the Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering on the Honors Cooperative Program at Stanford University. Later he attended Stanford again, completing the Stanford Executive Program (SEP) in the Graduate School of Business. Richard's education at Utah State and Stanford together with early developed work habits prepared him for a very long and productive engineering and business career.

At Hewlett Packard Richard started at the bottom engineering rung as a design engineer on June 15, 1959. After a very successful series of projects he was promoted to Engineering Section Manager in 1964, then Division Engineering Manager in 1968, Division General Manager in 1970 and Vice President and Group General Manager in 1984. Over those years he led teams developing, manufacturing and marketing electronic test and measuring equipment for use in military and space applications, secure and general communication systems, manufacturing process management and quality control. He also led teams developing and producing computers, disc drives, peripherals, and systems for manufacturing, engineering and customer support applications. All-in-all a remarkable set of cutting edge technologies for high value purposes. In 1997 Richard retired from Hewlett Packard at age 60 but then worked two years in Taiwan as Executive Chairman of Microelectronics Technology Corporation, a global leader in wireless communications products and subsystems.

California was a wonderful place to raise a family when the Anderson's moved there in 1959. Their first child, Deborah was born in August of that year. Two years later Richard Michael arrived, followed in two more years by Rachelle, then in another two years, in 1965, came their fourth, Suzette. Richard and Moonyeen had agreed on a goal of six children before they married so they knew they weren't finished. Kjirstina finally arrived in 1974 when Moonyeen was 38, number six David finally came as a foster child in 1980 and adoption in 1984. David had some special needs which led to Richard and Moonyeen raising his son, Trevor. So they were blessed with children at home for 58 years. All were raised in California except Trevor who grew up in Wellsville, Utah.

The family grew and prospered over their forty years in California. Richard and Moonyeen diligently followed their faith and raised all of the children with a clear understanding of their love for Jesus Christ and his precious gospel. As Richard progressed in his career, global travel was a necessary factor. During the entire forty years, both Richard and Moonyeen held numerous, important church callings. This was where Moonyeen's full time mother job was so valuable and jet air travel meant that both were, usually, home for Sunday worship as a family. Even after becoming a Vice President in 1984 Richard was home to fulfill his church and family responsibilities at least 90% of the Sundays. All of the children and eventual grandchildren were provided the opportunity for college or other type of further education. Debbie graduated from BYU in 1980, Mike from USU (twice), Shellie from USU, Sue from USU, and Tina from the University of San Diego in 1996. None were required to take out student loans.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 66 years, his sister Ruth Rasmussen and two grandchildren Michael Riley Anderson and Siri Anderson. He is survived by his six children Deborah Justesen (David), Richard Michael (Mindy), Rachelle Anderson Ashby (Peter), Suzette Anderson Eickman (Bradley), Kjirstina Anderson Navarro (Scott), and David Anderson. Also surviving are 13+ grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Services will be held on Friday September 5th. Viewing will be from 9:00-10:30am at the Wellsville City Stake Center. Graveside Service will start at 11am at the Wellsville City Cemetery. Funeral services are under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary. Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com