Orville P. 'Andy' Anderson, 78

Orville Patrick “Andy” Anderson was born on November 14, 1947, to Orville Arthur and Fern V. Fitzgerald Anderson in Ainsworth. He died and went to heaven on his 78th birthday, November 14. He was the youngest of nine children and the only one to have been born in a hospital. He grew up in Brown County, attended grade school at Rural District #7, and graduated from high school in Ainsworth in 1965. Following graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Linda Marie Johnson. That marriage ended in divorce in 1967.

He attended Chadron State Teachers College in Chadron, Nebraska, for two years before being drafted into the Army in August 1968. After basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, and advanced individual training at Fort Ord, California, he w as stationed at Sandia Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the remainder of his two-year tour. He was the base VIP driver and Major General Nyes’s personal driver. With just 34 days left in the Army, he met the love of his life, Patricia Ann Fribley Matthews, at a stop sign just outside the base.

They were united in marriage on December 23, 1970, and he adopted her two children from her previous marriage, Melissa Michelle and Melinda Marie. It was while living in Lincoln, that he made the most important decision of his lifetime. On January 7, 1971, for the first time in his life, he heard and understood the grace gospel of the Lord Jesus C hrist. He received the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and served Him the rest of his life. His new bride had quietly trusted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior six days earlier, on New Year’s Eve 1970. They made a commitment to raise their children for the Lord. They later moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where their son, Andrew Patrick, was born on September 10, 1971.

He earned a T h.G. in Theology and a B .A. in Biblical Studies. He served in the body of Christ the rest of his life. Most of his adult employment was in law enforcement and security. He became interested in health and fitness and competed in foot races all over the country, some as long as 100 miles.

He leaves behind those who will join him in glory: his wife of almost 55 years, Trish Anderson; daughters Melissa McGarity (Nathan) and Melinda Chaszewski (Dave); son Andrew; sister Iva Marie; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren; along with a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Fern, and seven siblings. A Celebration of Life was held on November 23rd at the German Township Community Building in South Bend, Indiana.