Janet Bates Anderson

Janet Bates Anderson passed away peacefully on September 8, 2025, in Holladay, Utah. She was born on June 26, 1933, in Payson, Utah, to Louis Austin Bates and Jennie Lois Bates. Janet lived a life marked by faith, resilience, love, and loyalty.

She shared her childhood with her sisters, Barbara and Miriam, in the small town of Payson. Her father served as Principal of Payson High School, and her mother was a steadfast presence in the local Christian church. Growing up during the Great Depression and World War II instilled in Janet a deep sense of loyalty to; family, country, and church. She also valued hard work, thrift, and the importance of education.

Janet fondly remembered swimming in local pools, playing make-believe games with her sisters, reading, singing, and playing the piano—many of these joys became lifelong passions that she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

After attending Payson High School, Janet studied at Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. She also received advanced piano instruction at Brigham Young University, and earned a BA in Education from Utah State University. It was there, in a math class, that she met a handsome young track star named Doug Anderson.

Janet and Doug were married on December 19, 1955, in Salt Lake City, Utah. This year would have marked their 70th wedding anniversary. Their marriage was rooted in shared ideals: devotion to family, love of country, and a commitment to serving others. While Doug served in education and in the military, Janet raised their family and taught elementary school at Ridgecrest Elementary and other schools throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Over a 20 year span, she helped to raise and educate hundreds of children.

Their success was built on unwavering support for one another. As a military wife in the 1950s, Janet embraced a life of adventure. In 1958, while pregnant with her son Blaine and traveling with her one-year-old son David, she crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a troop ship to Germany. During their time abroad, the family traveled throughout Europe, made lifelong friends, and even attended the World's Fair.

Upon returning to the U.S., they lived in Logan, Utah, and later in Salt Lake City.

Their family grew to include five children: David (1956), Blaine (1958), Tony (1961), Bryce (1965), and Rebecca (1970). Janet often said she loved having children and took great joy in their successes. The Anderson family enjoyed camping in Utah’s West Desert, boating at Lake Powell, skiing in the Wasatch Mountains, and hunting near Grantsville. Their lives were filled with little league football, baseball, and the family’s beloved tradition of track and field.

In 1965, they purchased their home in Cottonwood Heights, where they raised their family and built lifelong friendships. Janet and Doug lived in that home for 60 years and were both well known in the community.

Like her mother, Janet was a gifted pianist, a talented cook and baker, and a keeper of cherished Christmas traditions. Each year, she set up a train around the Christmas tree, which was adorned with hand-painted ornaments, twinkling lights, and a miniature village—bringing the holiday spirit to life for her children and grandchildren.

Janet was active in several Christian denominations throughout her life, including the Baptist, Presbyterian, and Southeast Christian Church. A devoted believer in Christ, she could often be found studying the Bible and was a defender of the faith.

She is survived by her sister, Barbara Rose; her children: Blaine (Michelle) Anderson, Tony (Jonna) Anderson, Bryce (Nathele) Anderson, and Rebecca Lucille; and her grandchildren: Danielle, Tanna, Kyle, Stacie, Sterling, Owen, Ashley, and Stephanie, and thirteen great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Colonel Douglas F. Anderson; her son, Colonel David Anderson; her parents, Louis and Lois Bates; and her sister, Miriam Jene Bates.

Janet’s personal impact echoes through the lives she touched during her 91 years. Her legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Canyon Hospice and the staff at The Ridge in Holladay for their exceptional care over the past two years.

Services will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary 3115 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121. Viewing: 3:00 PM. Funeral Service: 4:00 PM. Burial Service: 5:00 PM (All services will be held on the mortuary property.)