James Anderson

James R. Anderson, age 87 of Decorah, IA, died Monday morning, July 11, 2018 after a brief illness at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah.  Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 15, 2018 at First United Methodist Church in Decorah with Rev. Hyeunmee Kang officiating. Inurnment will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.    Visitation will be after 10:00 A.M. Saturday, one hour before services, at First United Methodist Church.   Jim was born on December 13, 1930 to Harold and Helen Anderson in his Grandparents farmhouse in rural Winneshiek County, Iowa.  His family moved to Decorah when he was a teen and has lived there ever since. Jim and his mother lived in an apartment in Hotel Winneshiek at the time of the great Hotel Winneshiek fire. Jim and a friend rescued his mom’s new refrigerator, anything they could carry and he grabbed his “squirrel gun” off the wall just as the floor caved in underneath him. Jim had worked as an insurance salesman, a patrol officer for Decorah Police Department and as a Deputy Sheriff with the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office before settling into a position with the US Postal Service in Decorah. Jim was married to the late Evelyn Mae “Evie” Roney Anderson on April 27, 1957. They had 2 children, Michael J. Anderson and Kari L. Anderson Winters. They were long-time members of the Decorah First United Methodist Church where Jim served as a Trustee for several years. He was also a member of several social organizations including the Postal Workers’ Union and the IOOF; he also volunteered at the Vesterheim Norwegian – American Museum. Jim enjoyed travelling with his wife Evie and they made many trips around the Midwest, trips to New York; Washington, DC; Los Angeles, San Diego and many trips to his mother’s home and ranch in and near Lusk, Wyoming. Jim and Evie also made several trips to their daughters’ duty stations in Beaufort S.C., Round Lake Beach, IL, Charleston, S.C. and Kingsland, GA.  Jim and Evie pulled out the calendar and planned their visit to Yokosuka, Japan right after hearing about their daughters’ pending transfer to that duty station. Jim and Evie were always supportive of Rick and Kari’s military service including taking care of their granddaughters while Rick and Kari were both deployed with the Navy during Desert Storm. Jim was a perennial remodeler and often could be found with a hammer or saw in his hand as he worked around his home or around the church. He also enjoyed making clocks, turning wooden bowls and making traditional Norwegian wood crafts. Jim enjoyed going to auctions and estate sales and had an extensive collection of irons from charcoal and wood burning irons, gasoline and kerosene irons as well as early electric irons. He also collected “black glass” and purchased many china pieces at his wife’s request. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Evelyn on December 3, 2012, his son Michael on September 4, 2012, and a great-granddaughter, Gabriella Reynolds. Left to cherish his memory are daughter Kari (Rick) Winters of Kingsland, GA; granddaughters Erin (Brian) Reynolds and Rachel Winters, grandson Andrew Winters, great-granddaughter Allison Reynolds, great-grandsons Sean and Caleb Reynolds, along with many cousins and nieces and nephews. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Vesterheim Norwegian – American Museum, 523 W. Water St., Decorah, IA 52101.