Leilani Anderson

Leilani L. Richardson, daughter of Kenneth & Lanore Richardson, was born at Laurens, Iowa, on November 20, 1944. The family moved to Pocahontas, Iowa, where she was educated K-12, graduating in 1963. She was valedictorian of her class, and had participated in music and other extracurricular activities.

Lani attended the Allen Memorial Hospital Lutheran School of Nursing in Waterloo, Iowa, graduating in 1966. She passed her State of Iowa Board examine and was a Registered Nurse. She worked at the Palo Alto County Hospital, Emmetsburg, Iowa until she became a staff nurse at the newly built Pocahontas Community Hospital when it first opened in 1967. She enjoyed working at the Pocahontas hospital through the years as health issues permitted in a variety of positions including teaching Certified Nurse Aides courses, and she was the Director of Nurses when she retired in 1998.

Lani married Doug Anderson on October 1, 1966. Two sons were born, Jay in 1969, and Joel in 1972. She greatly enjoyed being a mom, attending her sons many activities, and tending to their needs so that they could participate in many sports, music, and other extracurricular things.

Upon retiring in 1998, she had time to take up the game of golf. This gave her hours of fun with her husband and friends, and was instrumental in making many new friends. She always enjoyed playing cards, dancing – especially polkas, and some traveling including several cruises. She liked practical jokes and even encouraged them. Quiet time was also enjoyed in reading, certain TV programs, and playing the piano. Lani was always a superb cook and put extra effort into pleasing others with her food.

By retiring early, more time was available to winter in Arizona. Lani loved the sunshine and disliked cloudy and poor weather days. Each year an increasing amount of time was spent in the Mesa, AZ home, and less in the Pocahontas, IA home. There are still dear friends in Iowa and the best of both homes was enjoyed each year.

Lani is a member of the Hope United Methodist Church in Pocahontas and willingly served on women’s committees. For years she was an active member of the Iowa AH National TTT Society as well as other clubs and organizations. While her sons were in high school, she served as President of the Music Boosters Club and also of the Athletic Boosters Club. She helped, she served, and she touched many people on her own throughout her life.

Illness came numerous times. Lani had a cranial aneurism in January 1971 which caused several months of being comatose. Shortly after awakening from the coma, she had to have kidney surgery to remove stones from inactivity. In 1996 she again had to have extraordinary surgery on that kidney. In later years there were other surgeries including the one for the compound fracture of her lower leg last October. The leg bones were just about fully healed and she was looking forward to again play golf when the fatal cranial aneurism happened on April 5.

Lani passed away in the Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, AZ on April 13, 2014. Her son Jay was diagnosed with a heart abnormality in 1984, and passed away in 1987 after 3 good additional years of life. She is survived by her husband, Doug, their son, Joel of Chicago, IL, her mother, Lanore of Fellowship Square, Mesa, AZ, and two brothers, Kenton and Scott, both of Iowa.