Pehr Denton Anderson

Pehr Denton Anderson, 76, of the Shields Valley north of Livingston, died at St. Vincent HealthCare Thursday evening, Nov. 3, 2011, as the result of injuries sustained in an ATV accident the previous day. He loved ranching and Pehr had just completed a "perfect day" of shipping calves. He was attempting to move a cow off of the highway right-of-way when the accident occurred.

Pehr was born April 18, 1935, in Detroit, Mich., the son of Denton and Winifred (George) Anderson. He spent his early life in Warren, Ohio, and attended schools there and later in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., at Cranbrook Academy and the Cranbrook Art Academy.

Following graduation he attended Colorado University in Boulder and studied architecture. While there he met another student, Gail Kothmann. They were married in Boulder, Colo., on Dec. 20, 1955. The following summer they moved to Warren, Ohio, where they worked at his family's manufacturing business. That fall they moved to Bozeman to attend Montana State College, presently Montana State University. He graduated with a degree in animal science in 1959.

In 1960 they purchased a small ranch along the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley where they raised registered Angus cattle. This was the beginning of the Hayhook Ranch. In 1964 they purchased the Keyes Ranch in the Shields Valley and continued to raise Angus cattle and brought some of the first Charolais cattle into Park County.

Pehr was past president of the Montana Charolais Association, past president of the Park County 4-H Council, a past member of the Montana Angus Association, the Kellogg Extension Education Program, and was a longtime member of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.

Pehr greatly loved his children and grandchildren and was a kind, patient and compassionate man. He was a talented silversmith, potter and sculptor.

Survivors include his wife, Gail Anderson; son, Sky Anderson and dear friend, Monica, and Sky's sons, Steel and Stryker; and son, Shiell Anderson, his wife, Kendra and their children, Race and Paris, all of the family ranch. He is also survived by his brother, Marc and his wife, Sarah of Columbia, Md.; and his brother, John and his dear friend Judy, of Warren, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Cremation has taken place at Franzen-Davis Crematory in Livingston. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at Holbrook United Methodist Church, corner of Fifth and Lewis Streets in Livingston.

Arrangements are under the direction of Franzen-Davis Funeral Home.

If so desired, memorials may be directed to the Shields Valley FFA, or to the Park County 4-H Council.