Martha E. Anderson entered Heaven on Dec. 6, 2012.
Martha was born on the family farmstead southwest of Aberdeen on May 14, 1914, to Carl F. and Rosa E. (Winter) Wendt. She was the oldest of three children. Her mother passed away when she was 8 years old, leaving her father to raise the three children. She attended Brown County rural schools and graduated in 1934 from Aberdeen Central High School after attending her early high school years in Webster.
She married Ray H. Anderson on Dec. 16, 1939, in Aberdeen. They were married for 49 years. This union was blessed with three children, Betty, Sandra and Howard. She was a devoted mother and farm wife. One of her greatest passions was gardening, evident by the size of the garden she tended for many years and the amount of food she preserved each year. For many years, she also enjoyed raising chickens and exhibiting food items at the Brown County Fair.
She was a 4-H leader for 20 years, member of Brown County extension clubs for 70 years, served on the Brown County Cancer Board for 25 years, and was a 64-year member of St Paul’s Lutheran Church, where she was active in LWML circles.
Survivors, who will miss her, include daughters, Elizabeth “Betty” Knepke, of North Platte, and Sandra Hobart, of Pierre, S.D.; son, Howard (Paige) Anderson, of Aberdeen; grandchildren, Alicia (Duane) Brittenham, of North Platte, Erin Anderson, of Minneapolis, Minn., Ryan Anderson, of Conde, Ray Anderson, of Aberdeen; and great-grandson, Ethan Brittenham, of North Platte. She is also survived by her sister, Margaret Wickstrom; nephews, Richard (Rhonda) Wendt and their daughter, Emily, of Ridgecrest, Calif., and Allen (Rebecca) Trask, of Deerwood, Minn., and their children.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, in 1989; son-in-law, Duane Knepke; brother, Fred (Betty Lou) Wendt; brother-in-law, Elmer Wickstrom; and sister-in-law, Myrle (Floyd) Trask.
Services were on Monday, Dec. 10, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aberdeen.
Memorials are suggested to Brown County 4-H Forever or the American Cancer Society . Online condolences may be shared at spitzerfuneralhome.com.
Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home of Aberdeen was in charge of arrangements.