Scott Lee Anderson

Scott Lee Anderson, 51, of Crookston, MN, died Friday evening, March 9, 2012, at the Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND, with his loving family at his side. He had been diagnosed with ALS in November of 2009. Scott was born at Perham, MN on February 25, 1961, one of 5 children of Verner and Ann (Johnson) Anderson. He grew up in New York Mills, MN, where he was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter's Lutheran Church and graduated from New York Mills High School in 1979. Scott attended the University of Minnesota-Crookston studying mechanized agriculture. On May 24, 1980 he was united in marriage to Jolanda Marie Landby at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Crookston. After their marriage, Scott and Jolanda moved to Minneapolis, where he enrolled in the University of Minnesota general studies program. They later moved to New York Mills, where Scott worked for the Lund Boat Company; and then to Moorhead, MN as he began studying Architectural Engineering at both Moorhead State University and North Dakota State University. After learning that Zachary was on the way, Scott, and Jolanda decided to move to Crookston where he was employed at Leever's Super Valu, Lampert's Building Center, and took classes at UMC. While in Crookston, Jacob was added to the family. In 1985 they relocated to Warroad, MN and he worked for Marvin Windows, where he discovered his passion for research and development, as a member of the design team for the Company's signature, 'Integrity Windows.' While living in Warroad, Emily was born. In 1997, after returning to Crookston, Scott worked for Sherbrooke Landscaping of Lake Cormorant, MN laying sod, and then for O'Day Tank and Steel of Fargo, ND as a computer draftsman. From 1998 until 2008 he was employed by Potlatch/Ainsworth at Bemidji, MN. After the plant closed down, he began pursuing a degree in Robotics at Central Lakes College in Staples, MN until his diagnosis with ALS in 2009. Scott will always be remembered by his family as a very caring and giving man. His family always came first! This was evident in his willingness to drive up to 200 miles round trip for work. Scott took great pride in his commitments and achievements always giving 110% no matter the circumstances. He loved spending time with Jolanda and their family, working on the family farm as a youngster, listening to rock music, watching old movies, and teaching anyone, including his nieces and nephews, who fondly called him 'Uncle Crabby', how to do anything they had a question about. He prided himself on his intelligence and his ability to wow others with his dry humor and his unbridled compassion to make others laugh. Scott was a perfectionist and this showed as young as kindergarten when he took his ruler to school to make his letters perfect! He continued his education his entire life always taking the opportunity to learn something new. Even being faced with the challenges that ALS brought to his life, Scott continued to be an example and inspiration to those who cared for him, his family and his friends. Grateful to have shared in Scott's life are his beloved wife of 31 years, Jolanda; 2 sons and a daughter: Zachary Anderson and Jacob Anderson, of Crookston, MN, and Emily Anderson of West St. Paul, MN; 3 grandchildren: Ella and Jade Anderson, and Journie Rice; and 3 brothers: Dennis Anderson of Rochester, MN, Robert Anderson of Detroit, MI, and Thomas Anderson of New York Mills, MN. He also leaves his mother-in-law, Ilene Landby of Warroad, MN; 4 sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Belle Ann (Danny) Nelson of Warroad, Gerald (Sandra) Landby of East Helena, MT, Carole (Rich) Brinkman of Burnsville, MN, and David Haglund (Melissa Hagen) of Crookston; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, Verner and Ann; a sister, Carol Anderson; and his father-in-law, Norman Landby. May God richly bless Scott's memory. A Memorial Service in celebration of the life of Scott Lee Anderson will be held at 1:00 p.m., Monday, March 19, 2012, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Crookston, MN, with The Rev. Bill Reck, officiating. Visitation with Scott's family will be at St. Paul's Church on Sunday from 4-7:00 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, and also for one hour prior to the funeral. Burial will be at the Silent City Cemetery in Roosevelt, MN in the spring. The Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home is assisting with funeral arrangements. (Online registry www.stenshoelhouske.com)