Ida "Faye" Anderson

Born in Broken Bow, Oklahoma on June 4, 1935, to the late Jesse Floyd Cole (31 Oct 1986) and Mary Jane Oehler Cole (21 Jan 1970). In the summer of 1948, Faye moved with her family via bus to Oregon settling in Sweet Home for her father’s job.

She is a graduate of Union High School in May 1953 enlisting in the U.S. Army Women’s Corp in August 1955. Faye was a clerk typist stationed at Headquarters 5th Army, Ft. Sheridan, Chicago, Illinois where she met her late husband, William “Andy” James Anderson (6 Jun 2007). Faye and Andy were married on June 16, 1956. She was honorably discharged in October 1956 upon learning she was expecting their first child. Faye and Andy would have eight children. Faye and the family followed Andy to the various places he was stationed (Germany, Virginia, Colorado) and lived near her family in Oregon while Andy was in Vietnam. They moved from Aurora, Colorado upon Andy’s military retirement in the summer of 1974 settling in Portland, Oregon.

Faye is a long standing, active member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church of Portland, Oregon, and a member of the Neocatechumenal Way community at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. She had a strong faith in God and family. Faye and Andy volunteered at The Grotto especially during the holiday season helping visitors with directions or information.

Faye was particularly good with numbers. She is a retired Accounting Clerk of the Finance Department for Multnomah County, Portland. She worked in the accounting department for various local businesses, Credit Union, and for H&R Block helping others with their tax filings for numerous years in Colorado and Oregon. Faye showed her children how to build a budget, live within their means and what to do when things go awry.

Faye opened her home to her father, J. Floyd Cole, and her brother, Jesse C. Cole, when it was no longer feasible for them to live by themselves. They remained in her home for many years until their passings.

Faye was the heart of her family; loved being active in her children’s, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s lives supporting them in all they did. She cheered them on at baseball, football and soccer games, took them to swimming lessons and rainbow girls, listened with great pride and joy as they performed at school concerts (chorus and band), went to see The Nutcracker with her granddaughters, walked many miles helping to pull along a wagon with Girl Scout cookies as her girl scouts sold boxes of cookies door-to-door, went camping with her family and her girl and boy scouts, was a Den Mother for many years alongside her boy scouts, attended numerous high school and college graduations near and far, and babysat so many times.

Faye helped with raising some of her grandchildren in Oregon. She raised a granddaughter from the age of five. She lived in Waynesville, Missouri, for 3 years helping her son through a difficult period, providing a safe place for her grandsons while helping to raise them. She was special, generous with her heart, always giving to those who needed it.

The way she lived continues to inspire those who loved her most.

Mom was always the most patient and selfless person I have ever met. Anytime I had practice or a game she was the one who made sure I got there. She never complained nor did she ever have an attitude about anything. Mom was a saint, one of a kind. A lot of people think that dad was the one who showed us what morals and self-pride were, but they are wrong. She showed us what it took to be someone that others could respect and depend on.

Grandma and Grandpa would babysit the boys when they were little, they always fed them grandpa’s stash of Oreos, chips, etc. We would go on walks with grandma to value village, sit on the porch watching the sunset, drive grandma around in her Saturn because she did not like driving, go on summer trips to many destinations, and hearing Grandma always telling Caralea and Ryan she was going to brain them for misbehaving.

Grandma was someone that I could turn to and not be judged. She had good advice throughout my whole life. She showed me that money does not buy happiness. She was always one phone call away and answered every time. I might not have understood the things she was teaching me by example but now as an adult I cherish all the lessons she taught me. One thing that will always sit with me, is the time I asked her “Why do you always read the Bible?” She replied “because every time I read the bible it tells a different story.”

Great-Grandma was always happy, laughing and loving. Her laugh was contagious and she laughed often; can’t you hear that infectious cackle now? If you listen closely, that same infectious cackle can be heard in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Faye and Andy bought a motorhome to travel in after she retired from accounting. Faye preferred driving to flying so she could see the scenery along the way. Faye and Andy traveled throughout the country; sometimes it was just the two of them while other times various family members traveled with them. Their routes were planned but easily changed if either one saw a road sign or a location on their maps with something interesting to see. Many of their trips included visiting extended family - Andy’s mom in Minnesota and Aunts and Uncles in Florida plus many friends scattered across the country. Although trips in the motorhome stopped with Andy’s passing Faye continued to travel whenever she could with her family including trips to Hawaii, attending professional baseball games, riding a train up the coast and back, Arizona, Missouri, and Maryland visiting her sons and grandchildren, Florida as grandmother of the bride twice, and multiple trips to the Oregon coast.

Her last, extended trip was August-September 2023 to visit family members living on the east coast. She met her two newest great-grandchildren, had dinner with a grandson she had not seen in awhile, laid flowers on her son’s gravesite, and spent time with grandchildren and other family members. Along the way, she took time to see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, Empire State Building, Subway, 9-11 Memorial, Grand Central Station (New York City), Boston Aquarium (Massachusetts), Independence Hall, Reading Terminal Station, Liberty Bell, Christ Church, Betsy Ross House, Elfreth’s Alley (Philadelphia), Pentagon Memorial (Washington D.C.), Paddleboat Dinner River Cruise, Botanical Garden, International Friendship Bell, Dollywood (Tennessee), Sunflower Field, Capital City (New Hampshire) and Painted Herons, Women’s Veteran Memorial Park (Florida).

Eternally cherishing her memory are her daughters, Mary Harriott (James) of Shalimar, Florida, and Sandra Sanders of Saint Helens; her sons Michael Anderson of Waynesville, Missouri, Walter Anderson (Kelli) of Williams, Arizona, and John Anderson, David Anderson, Kenneth Anderson (Ali) all of Portland, sister R. Louise McBee, Portland, brother David Cole (Barbara), Oregon City. Additionally, 15 Grandchildren, 2 Step-Grandchildren, 19 Great-Grandchildren, 11 Step-Great-Grandchildren and 2 Great-Great-Grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, Faye was preceded in death by her brother Jesse C. Cole (29 Oct 1996), sister M. Neva Flood (27 Jun 2008), son William J. Anderson Jr (26 Dec 2021), and grandson Ryan G. Sanders (16 Jul 2023).

Faye will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who were blessed to know her. She was kind, gentle, and loving until the very end, giving joy to her family and others around her. One of her favorite responses was “Oh, good grief, Charlie Brown!”.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Monday, August 18, 2025 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Ross Hollywood Chapel, 4733 N.E. Thompson Street, Portland. Funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 2727 N.E. 54th Avenue, Portland.

Private Interment services will be at Willamette National Cemetery with Full Military Honors.

As one of Faye’s granddaughters posted - My Beautiful grandmother Ida Faye Anderson Passed in her sleep peacefully over the weekend.

She was 90 years old, lived a long life and left us with a lesson that not all life lost is tragic.

Sometimes it’s beautifully peaceful.

Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Great-Great Grandma, Wife, Daughter, Aunt, and Sister

Forever in our Hearts

Eulogy for Ida “Faye” Cole Anderson

Our family wishes to thank everyone that has come to honor the memory of our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, Ida “Faye” Cole Anderson.

My mother, Faye, passed away peacefully on August 2, 2025, at 90 years of age. She was born in Broken Bow, Oklahoma on June 4, 1935, and she graduated high school in 1953. She enlisted in the US Army Women’s Corp in 1955 and met her husband while stationed in Chicago, Illinois. They married on June 16, 1956, and had eight children.

These are facts about my mother, but they do not fully portray the person she was.

The most important things in my mother’s life were her family and her faith in God. She lived her life as an inspiration to us all, reading her Bible every day, teaching us by example how to live, be a responsible person, one that is respected for who we have become.

She was the one you could always call and talk to about anything without fear of being judged. She never talked down to any of us when we were kids, she just talked to us like human beings.

She was a part of almost every event that happened in her children’s, grandchildren’s, great-grandchildren’s and great-great-grandchildren’s lives supporting them in all we did and wanted to do.

Mom was special, generous with her heart and her time, always giving to those what they needed. She was not rich yet seemed to always have some money tucked away to give. She offered her home providing a safe place to go and something to eat.

But, along with her gentle qualities, Mom was feisty (it runs in the family you know); she had a mischievous twinkle in her eye and a conspiratorial whisper.

She loved watching wrestling, football and NCIS. She had a funny way of talking like when she said “warsh” as in “she was going to warsh the dishes.” And when she laughed she would slap your knee instead of hers, while looking at you and laughing up a storm.

Her laugh was contagious, she laughed often; it was an infectious cackle. Listen closely, that same infectious cackle can be heard in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I’m sure she is laughing with us now as we remember all her funny little quirks.

John 14:1-3:

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Yes, my mom lived a long, rich life and held many roles.

A Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Great-Great Grandma, Wife, Daughter, Aunt, and Sister

She was kind, gentle, and loving until the very end, giving joy to her family and others around her. She leaves us with a rich legacy of positivity, generosity, kindness, patience, selflessness, and above all love. She was and is a blessing to us all.

She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who were blessed to know her.

Ida “Faye” Cole Anderson is and always will be in our Hearts for all eternity.