Obituary - William E. Anderson

William E. (Bill) Anderson, 75, Moscow

William E. (Bill) Anderson, 75, a retired Moscow attorney and active civic leader, died peacefully Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, from complications following surgery. He was surrounded by loved ones.

Bill was born to William and Florence Oberg Anderson at the family Last Page in Moscow. After graduating from Moscow High School, he enrolled in the University of Idaho and received his Bachelor of Science degree in business in 1959. Following graduation, he attended officer's candidate school and served four years in the U.S. Navy. He loved being a navigator and enjoyed studying the stars. He was a loyal member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, serving the chapter and its members from his heart. On Oct. 29, 2011, he received the Merit Key Award, SAE's second highest honor. He was thrilled by this recognition and the time he spent with much-loved brothers.

Bill returned to Moscow, where he worked at First Federal Savings and Loan for a year and then enrolled at the University of Idaho College Of Law. He served as alternate police judge and alternate justice of the peace in 1964, police judge and justice of the peace in 1965-66, probate judge pro-tem in 1967 and deputy prosecuting attorney. Upon graduation, he joined the law office of Felton and Bielenberg and later became a partner. The firm became Bielenberg, Anderson and Walker.

In 1969, Bill was elected prosecuting attorney for Latah County and served two terms. He excelled in the courtroom and liked serving clients in private practice. He appreciated knowing he had helped people. Bill was committed to the local community through volunteer work such as the Executive Board for the University of Idaho Alumni Association, and served as president in 1979-80. He also served on the American Festival Ballet Board of Directors, Moscow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, KUID Board of Directors, Central Business District Committee and the Moscow Downtown Association, to name a few.

Bill believed in a thriving downtown and the small business owner. He was influential in rerouting traffic to Jackson and Washington streets, planting trees and revitalizing Main Street. Throughout his life he owned property in downtown Moscow and took an active interest in the people and shops that make it so inviting.

Bill was always passing on wisdom and giving lessons. We could count on him for insight on work ethic, maneuvering the boat into the boathouse, navigating the St. Joe River, balancing the books, Washington politics, tax law and estate planning, grading the driveway, building fence, philanthropy and compassion, religion and the history of Jesus.

Bill appreciated nature and animals and was delighted by the wildlife around his Last Page on Moscow Mountain. He was a gifted athlete and enjoyed all things physical, including golf, racquetball, skiing and boating. He loved jumping the wake and slapping his skis on the water, growing geraniums and begonias, a good book, eating lots of Dungeness crab, attending Vandal games, singing made-up songs in the shower, the color green, the number 7 and fireworks with a big bang. He made Potatis Korv sausage to celebrate his Swedish heritage. Cruising on his 1954 Ford Jubilee tractor gave him great joy.

He is survived by his longtime companion; his daughters; his cousins; and his much-loved dogs.

In lieu of flowers, donations on behalf of William E. Anderson can be made to: Palouse Humane Society at http://www.humanesocietyofthepalouse.org/index.html, Emmanuel Lutheran Church at http://www.emmanuelmoscow.org, or the University of Idaho Arboretum at http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/arboretum/membership.html.

Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

A memorial celebration will be conducted at 1 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Moscow Church of the Nazarene, 1400 East Seventh St.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel of Moscow, and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.

Lewiston Tribune, December 8, 2011, p. 7C
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock