Scott L. Anderson

1958 - 2017

Scott L. Anderson
September 5, 1958 – May 12, 2017
My bright, wonderful, compassionate son passed away in London, UK on May 12, 2017. He had suffered a devastating heart attack. Scott was born In Salt Lake City, UT on September 5, 1958 to Leslie Marvin and Mary Lu Anderson. Scott went to school in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, and Boise, ID. He graduated from Capital High School in 1976. He attended Boise State for 2 years and then transferred to University of Idaho. He graduated from there in 1981 with a BS in Mining Engineering. He stayed on at U of I and obtained his Master's Degree in Technical Mining Engineering.
He began his lifetime work of mining in Redstone, Colorado at a large coal mine. He loved Colorado for its beauty and its history. After a couple of years he moved to Arizona and worked near Parker, AZ at a copper mine. This was run by the MK Mining Group. When MK divested themselves from the Mining Industry, Scott moved to Reno, NV, where he worked in the mining industry Nevada. From there he was hired by the Freeport-McMoran Co., to work in Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. He worked there for 4 or 5 years, and married a good woman from Australia, named Rhonda Gates. She had 2 children, Joel and Lecia, when they got married, and he considered them his children.
He left Indonesia, came home for a few months, and moved to Zambia, Africa, where he worked in a large copper mine. He was in Zambia 4 years and he loved the country and the people. Rhonda and the children went home to Australia after about 2 years and never really returned to Africa fulltime. After his company was sold to another foreign company, Scott came home and began applying for mining jobs around the world. He landed a job with Kinross Gold in Far East Russia. He lived and worked in Russia for the next 10 years, either in Magadan (Far East) or Moscow.
He finally moved home to the USA. He worked In several mines in Nevada and also did consulting work from his office at home. He had been to almost every continent in the world – either lived there or consulted there. The only continent he had never been to was Antartica.
Scott was a workaholic and a dreamer all rolled into one. He was always looking for greener pastures and better opportunities over the next horizon. He tried to help many people over the years, his family, co-workers or people living in poorer circumstances all over the world. Sometimes it was buying their handmade craft items and trying to start up an import business, or hand cut gemstones from Africa. He would always get so excited about his new adventures. He also loved fishing in streams and lakes, traveling to new countries and any kind of rocks or gemstones. He enjoyed going to his nephew's football games, taking them fishing or on other adventures. When his nephews got married and started having kids, he was generous with this offer of financial help, or his time. He always had time to do fun things with them when he was in town. He truly will be missed.
The family would like to thank Phoenix Mining Company for their help in London UK. He received excellent care at St. Thomas Hospital in London. The family received tremendous help from Ryan McDermott and Dennis Thomas, of Phoenix Mining. We are grateful for all the messages, phone calls, flowers and love that has come our way and especially to his mother Mary Lu Anderson.
Scott is survived by his mother, Mary Lu Anderson, of Boise, Idaho; his sister Sharon and husband Glen Smith of Meridian, Idaho; and his brother Christopher and his wife Rose Anderson, of New Castle, Colorado. His nephew Nick Smith and his wife, Heather, of Herriman, Utah, and his nephew Garrett Smith and his wife Melissa, of Meridian, Idaho. Also surviving him are his 3 nephews in New Castle/ Glenwood Springs, Colorado – Christopher Anderson II, David Scott Anderson, and Jason Porter. He is also survived by his great nieces and nephews – Braiden and Brenna Smith of Herriman, UT; Samuel, Ava Gene and Ella Mae Smith of Meridian, ID, and Xavier and Tedaza Porter of Glenwood Springs, CO. He is also survived by his step-children, Joel and Lecia Gates in Australia. Alexander Kurganskii, his friend and partner this past year also survived him and will miss him tremendously.
Scott was preceded in death by his father Leslie Marvin Anderson, his brother Larry David Anderson, and his ex-wife Rhonda.
For further information about his burial and funeral arrangements, contact Bowman Funeral Home, Garden City, ID.