Memorial

William G. (Bill) Anderson, 93 of Cedar Rapids died Saturday September 9, 2017 in the presence of his family. Services at 10:30 AM on Friday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Rev. Phil Jorgensen will officiate. Entombment with military rites at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5 to 6:30 PM on Thursday.

Survivors include a son William H. (Sheila M.) of Cedar Rapids; four daughters; Rebecca (Thomas C.) Beusch of Kildeer, Illinois, Jeanne (Thomas G.) Hoyt of Overland Park, Kansas, Lisa (Richard J.) Twedt, and Lori (Tom E.) Hampton all of Cedar Rapids. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Anna, a son James Eric, an infant daughter Gail Sue, brother Rev. Robert L. Anderson, and two sisters Mildred Anderson and Edith Estensen.

Bill was born on January 30, 1924 in Morris, Illinois the son of Harrison and Ellen (Amundson) Anderson. He received his under graduate electrical engineering degree from the University of Texas where he earned the Tau Beta Phi Award. He later graduated from Iowa State University with his master’s degree in 1959.  He married Anna O. Berge on March 2, 1946 in Morris, Illinois. Anna passed away in 2010. 

Bill proudly served as a commissioned officer after participating in the V-12 Program in WWII and served on the USS Denver. 

Bill started his career in engineering with Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pennsylvania and later was a valued employee at Rockwell-Collins. While at Collins he was instrumental in developing several patents in the Avionics Control Field and retired from Rockwell-Collins after more than 39 years of service.

Bill was a charter member of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church and a longtime member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. He was a founding member of the Sons of Norway, a Cub Scout Leader, Boy Scout Master, and a longtime member of the I.E.E.E. He was an avid golfer and was a veracious reader on many subjects.

He was an accomplished tennis player and won several tournaments including the 1989 AEGON Iowa Open Men’s 65 Singles Championship.  Bill’s intensive genealogy research culminated in “The Anderson Family, Search for Paternal Roots”, 1747-2002.

Among all of his accomplishments his great joy however was the time spent with his family and many friends. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend whose memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him. Bill was a kind, respected, selfless, compassionate and considerate man.

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Bill’s name.