Anna Helen Sanden

Thief River Falls Times - (Dec/5/2003

Anna Sanden, 86

Mahnomen - Anna H. Sanden, 86, of Mahnomen died Monday, June 30, 1997 at Mahnomen Health Care Nursing Center.

Anna Hillesland was born February 25, 1911 in Calmar, IA, the daughter of Lars and Grete (Vick) Hillesland. As a young child, she moved to the Mahnomen area where she grew up and attended school. She was united in marriage to Roy Sanden, and the couple farmed near Mahnomen until Roy's death in l966. In 1967, Anna moved to Mahnomen where she worked as a cook at Mahnomen Public School and then the Mahnomen Hospital until her retirement in the early 1980's.

Anna was a member of First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen and its women's organization. She also belonged to the VFW Auxiliary and recieved the Ninth District VFW Volunteer Service Award. She was also a member of Wonder Works Homemakers, Mahnomen Senior Citizens, Mahnomen Garden Club and was a RSVP volunteer. At one time, Anna was named Outstanding Senior Citizen and Outstanding Homemaker.

Anna is survived by two sons, Boyd (Dianne) of Moorhead, and Dale (Sandee) of Thief River Falls; three daughters, Verna (Alf) Eide of Fertile, Clarice (Claire) DeBoer of Crookston and Ruth (Jack) Kennedy of Oconto Falls, WI; one daughter-in-law, Corrine Sanden of Villard, MN; 22 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Laura Blaser of Mahnomen.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband; one son, LeRoy in 1972; one daughter, Randi in 1974; four brothers and one sister.

Funeral services were held Thursday, July 3 at 3 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen with Pastor Ivan Wambheim officiating. Dorothy Goos was the organist with special music provided by Marvin Slette, and Edie and John Mattson. Anna's grandsons, James and John Eide, Curt, Jerry and Duane DeBoer, John, Brian, and Gary Sanden, Brad Kennedy, Kevin and Kyle Sanden and Chris Wendt, were the pallbearers. The Mattson Funeral Home of Mahnomen was in charge of the arrangements.