Eleanor Marie (Holm) Anderson

Eleanor Marie (Holm) Anderson

Eleanor Marie (Holm) Anderson was born in DeKalb, Illinois, to Elmer and Nona (Baxter) Holm on August 13th of 1928. She had one older brother, Warren Holm of Greeley, CO.

Eleanor spent her grade and high school days in DeKalb, graduating from DeKalb Township High School in 1946. She then applied to the Swedish Covenant Nursing Program but was unsuccessful as she was not 18-1/2 years old. She then applied to the newly formed merger of Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, with West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL. She received her R.N. after passing her boards at Springfield, IL, and her B.S. in Nursing from Wheaton College.

She worked as a nurse in Sycamore, IL, for a short time and then applied to the hospital in Nome, Alaska. She arrived in Nome on September 12th, 1952, with a round trip ticket. She worked in the Nome Hospital as a nurse for eight years. In 1955, a good-looking farmer (Ken Anderson) from Illinois arrived in Nome and shall we say the rest is history. Ken and Eleanor were married on December 9th, 1955 at the Nome Covenant Church.

In 1960 Ken was transferred to Anchorage, AK, where they spent a year. It was while there that a beautiful daughter (Judith) was adopted by them at five days old. They were then asked to go to White Mountain, AK, to relieve a missionary couple for vacation at the children’s home there. After one and a half years in White Mountain, they were asked to go to work at Covenant High School in Unalakleet, AK, where they served for 20 years. Soon after arriving in Unalakleet another adopted child entered their home, their son (James) at about eight days old.

Due to Ken’s health issues, they again moved to the Anchorage area in 1982 where they stayed for 7 years. They then moved to Palmer, AK, in 1989 where they presently live.

Eleanor worked at the Jesse Lee Home in Anchorage from 1982 to 1990. After they moved to Palmer, she was a charter volunteer at Valley Hospital (now Mat-Su Regional Hospital) for over 10 years. Together with her husband they attended the Mat-Su Evangelical Covenant Church in Wasilla, AK.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Eleanor is survived by her husband of 65 years, Ken; her two children, Judy Anderson of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Akiachak, Alaska, and Jim Anderson (Judy Anderson) of Dickson, Tennessee; as well as nine grandchildren: Krista Anderson (Adam Schou), Lisa L’italian (Mark L’italian), Megan Anderson, Kyle Pataky (Alicia Pataky), Kurt Pataky (Shannon Sadler) , Kody Pataky (Molly Lorenzen), Savannah Boyle (Andrew Boyle), Steven Anderson (Bethany Anderson), and Zach Anderson; 11 great-grandchildren: Denali Anderson-Bergoff, Jocelyn Johnson, Kai Anderson–Bergoff, Addie Schou, Gigi L’italian, Molly Johnson, Bjorn Anderson-Schou, Brynley Pataky, Wyatt Pataky, Neo Boyle, and Sky Boyle; and nieces, Carol Bertollini and Kathy Holm.

Viewing will be at Kehl’s Palmer Mortuary, 209 S Alaska St, Palmer, AK, on Thursday, June 24, 5 pm to 8 pm, and the Memorial Service will be held at the Mat-Su Covenant Church, 5201 E Mayflower Ln, Wasilla, Alaska, on Friday June 25th, 2021, at 2 pm.

Obituary written by: Eleanor Anderson