Richard Ashton Anders

The youngest of Roy and Goldia Anders’ three children, Richard was born in Madera on May 8, 1934. The family farmed cotton, but Roy was unhappy as a farmer and the Anders family began to move frequently as his father went from job to job as a rough carpenter. Richard remembered living in hastily-built Boulder City, Nv collecting rainwater in pots and pans while his dad worked on the construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam. Eventually they settled in Compton where Richard attended Compton High School and Compton Junior College, graduating with an AA in Bacteriology spring of 1954.

In fall 1954 Richard joined the Air Force, training to service the B66 Bomb Navigation System. In 1956, while stationed in Albuquerque, NM he met Olivia Spannagel. They married in 1959 and moved back to Southern California where Richard helped with his father’s shuffleboard business, and Olivia taught school. Two years later they moved to Rancho Cordova: the family home for over 60 years. He retired from the Air Force in 1972, and eventually got a civil service job at McClellan Air Force Base where he spent the rest of his professional life servicing radar systems.

Richard enjoyed the travel that came with his job, as well as the annual trips he and Olivia made to Tahoe for over 30 years. He had multiple hobbies: genealogy research, singing tenor in a barbershop quartet, working jigsaw puzzles, biking, and most famously - his needlepoint and cross stitching. He completed numerous pieces including the beautiful Christmas stockings he made for each of his children and grandchildren.

Richard died peacefully in his sleep on July 17, 2023 in Carmichael, CA. He is preceded in death by his sister, Betty, his brother, David, and by his wife of 60 years, Olivia. Richard is survived by his children Mark (Carrie), Beth (Nick), David (Mark), Paul (Janet); 10 Grandchildren; 14 Great Grandchildren; and 6 Great Great Grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made in Richard’s honor to one of his favorite charities:

Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.com) or

Christian Encounter Ministries (christianencounterministries.com)