Sylvia May Anderson

Sylvia was born on May 9, 1924, in Ringstead, IA, youngest daughter of Danish immigrants, Otto and Anna (Jensen) Nielsen. She spent much of her youth in Greenville, MI. Her father and two brothers were Lutheran ministers. She married a soldier, Harry Anderson, who then also became a Lutheran minister. They raised their three children in Westbrook, ME, Minneapolis, MN, Atwater, MN, Okinawa, and Mankato, MN. She had an Associates Degree from the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN.

In 1981 she moved to Keene to be near her two youngest children. She held various jobs, including at Solar Age Magazine in Harrisville, and Leisure magazine and NutriSystems in Keene. However, her favorite job, besides being a mother, was the receptionist at the Counseling Center at Keene State College, where she retired in 2003.

Sylvia had a salty sense of humor. She loved creating things, whether knitting, crocheting, or crafts. She loved watching football and tennis. She had an insatiable appetite for learning and always had a new book to read. She delighted in cooking extravagant Christmas Eve dinners. And, she loved dressing fashionably, which she attributed to growing up in the Depression.

In Sylvia’s long life, she saw many, many wars, and always prayed for peace. She proudly voted in every election; Obama was her favorite president. She held the Earth’s sadness in her enormous heart, while sharing her own love for others unconditionally. She was brave and stubborn, tender and warm, an angel on earth. Most of all, she radiated love to all who were lucky enough to come into her circle of life.

Besides her friends, who she dearly loved, she is survived by her daughter, Sharon Iverson, and husband John, of Mankato, MN; son, Bruce Anderson, and significant other Natalie Givans, of Great Falls, VA; daughter, Mona Anderson, and husband Joe Kohler, of Alstead, NH; grandchildren Tammy Lane, Michael Iverson, Karina Napier Anderson, Adam Kohler, and Ryan Kohler, and four great grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, November 9, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. at Fletcher Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 33 Marlboro St., Keene, NH.’s. There are no calling hours. (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com)

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Sylvia’s name to Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services, 312 Marlboro St., Keene, NH 03431.