LeRoy M Anderson

LeRoy M. Anderson, 86, passed away in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Tuesday, September 27, 2016. A remembrance service will be held on October 22, 2016, at First Lutheran Church, 526 S. Olive Avenue, Sandpoint, Idaho, at 2 p.m. All are welcome. LeRoy Malcus Anderson was born to Mike and Leona Anderson, July 1, 1930, in Troy, Idaho. He grew up in Moscow, Idaho, and graduated from Moscow High School in 1949. LeRoy loved to sing and play piano. He began taking music classes at the University of Idaho but left school to join the Air National Guard with his brother Merlin. After transferring to the Air Force, LeRoy moved to Long Beach, California and served for two years. While in the service he took courses at Long Beach City College. After returning to Idaho, LeRoy met his wife, Marilyn Pratt, at his brother Llewellyn’s wedding and they were married six months later. He earned his Bachelor of Art and Architecture degree from the U of I. He went to work for Putnam & Dimke architecture firm in Lewiston, designing churches, homes and other buildings. LeRoy and Marilyn started their family with their first three sons, David, Darryl and Larry. In 1967 LeRoy took a teaching position in Sandpoint, Idaho, and moved the family into a beautiful turn of the century home previously own by the Von Canon family. The home was located in the Sand Creek area where the hospital now sits. LeRoy soon decided to buy 10 acres out in the country where he built his own home and named it Cedar Grove. LeRoy taught art for 26 years at Sandpoint High School. He also stayed busy with theater, building sets for both the Mime and Mask theater club at the high school and the community Unicorn Theater. Rumor has it from time to time he would build sets for plays in the Andersons’ front living room! LeRoy loved his students. He loved kids in general! He and Marilyn raised their first three sons and fostered another son, Warren Whitehawk, for 10 years alongside them. LeRoy had a kind and gentle spirit and throughout the years, many struggling kids found him to be an encouraging influence in their lives as he always saw the best in others. After his first family was raised LeRoy soon found the house much too quiet. He went on a nationwide search and found four siblings in the state of Alabama who had been split up and had only one last chance to be adopted together. LeRoy and Marilyn then raised a second family! As a matter of fact, LeRoy raised kids right up to his last days. He had been raising a third generation grandson and proudly watched him graduate from high school just this past June! Lifelong interests: • Singing and playing piano at home, and singing with his wife in the Lutheran church choir. • Painting and drawing up architecture plans for any housing projects he could. • Owning and maintaining his own rental properties. LeRoy was 100% Swedish and proud to carry on his family’s history and customs. The family has fond Christmas memories, as he would celebrate every year by preparing a large feast consisting of Swedish delicacies such as potatiskorv, krum kaka, rosettes and other Swedish pastries. Most importantly, LeRoy was a devout man of God and looked forward to being with his creator. After struggling with many medical problems at the end of his life, he is no longer suffering and is now with his King and LORD Jesus Christ! LeRoy is survived by Marilyn (his wife of 61 years), his children David, Darryl, Larry, John, Patricia, Ernie, Harold and their families (including 12 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren). He is also survived by his brothers Merlin and Llewellyn Anderson and their wives, and many nephews and nieces. The family asks that donations be made to the Panhandle Animal Shelter in lieu of flowers.