Eilif Frederik Andersen

JULY 10, 1935 - DECEMBER 14, 2016

Eilif Frederik Joseph Kebe Andersen was born on July 10, 1935 in Copenhagen Denmark to Aage and Laura Andersen. Eilif was a resident of Fremont who first immigrated to America with his family in 1940 to escape the war in Europe. He was a lifelong fan of the Saint Louis Cardinals after watching his first game at Ebbets field when he was only 5. He grew up traveling the country following his father’s job of painting churches across the nation. Eilif attended 25 different schools before graduating from Santa Barbara High School in 1953. After high school he attended Santa Barbara Junior College and then joined the US Navy aboard the USS Kenneth Whiting. On May 6, 1961 he married Irene Patricia Pagni in Redwood City, California. They had four children: Karen, Jacquelynne, Erik, and Julie. Eilif worked for 35 years for the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic controller and retired as an area manager. Each winter he loved to dress up as Santa Claus for friends, family, and local schoolchildren.

He moved to Lancaster California in 1983 where he studied archaeology and enjoyed working for the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve. He returned to Fremont in 1997 where he volunteered for the Museum of Local History giving tours of the Rancho Higuera Adobe and worked as a para-educator for the Fremont Unified School District. Eilif converted to Catholicism in 2006 and became a member of Saint Joseph’s parish in Fremont. Eilif always enjoyed travel, from sailing the seas, crossing the country in his motorhome, family car trips, and riding the rails. We wish him well on this final journey. Survivors include his wife, 4 children, 5 grandchildren and his brother Kenneth.

• Memorial Mass, Saint Joseph’s Church, Fremont, California

Wednesday, December 21st at 10am

• Rosary Service, Lima Family Mortuary, Fremont, California

Thursday, December 22nd at 5pm

• Graveside Committal, Chapel of the Chimes, Hayward, California

Friday, December 23rd at 12:15 pm

Donations in his memory may be made to the

Mojave Desert Interpretive Association or to

the California State Parks Foundation.