Harriet Estelle Anderson

Harriet Estelle Anderson, 73, of Crookston, Minnesota, died early Wednesday evening, September 22, 2004, in the Riverview Care Center in Crookston, with many of her family at her side. She had been a resident of the Care Center since May 19, 2000.

Harriet was born in Grafton, North Dakota on August 30, 1931, the daughter of Leo and Edith (Ebert) Desautel. At the age of five she moved with her family to Crookston where she was a 1949 graduate of Cathedral High School. She then attended St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Fargo, North Dakota, receiving her diploma as a Registered Nurse in 1952. Harriet returned to Crookston where she was employed as an R.N. at Bethesda Hospital until 1955.

On August 11, 1956 she was united in marriage to Verne Lyle Anderson in Crookston. For the next several years Harriet devoted herself to raising her family of three daughters and four sons. From 1970 through 1979 she was employed by the Grand Forks Herald and then from 1980 until her retirement in 1985 she worked at the switchboard of the Riverview Hospital in Crookston. For several years she also did catering for weddings, graduations, and other special occasions. Her family was Harriet's number one priority and she loved to bake and cook for them, and over the years did more than her fair share of seamstress duties and chauffering.

She was a member of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception parish and the St. Rose of Lima Circle. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Merry Mixers Homemakers Club, and belonged to several bridge clubs. In May of 2003 Harriet and Verne were honored as Crookston's Experienced Americans of the Month.

She will be very sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her family and many friends. Loving family members include Verne, her devoted husband of forty-eight years; three daughters and a son-in-law, Sharon Lanctot, and Beth Lee, both of Crookston, MN, and Sheila and Dennis Thull of Freeport, MN; four sons and daughters-in-law, Mike and Cindy (Helseth) Anderson of Dayton, MN; Bruce and Mary (Cote) Anderson of Ramsey, MN; Mark and Sue (Sprague) Anderson of Crookston; and Patrick and Chanon (Johnson) Anderson of Sabin, MN; ten grandsons and ten granddaughters; two great-grandsons; a sister and brother-in-law, Jan and Jim Delage of Crookston; a sister-in-law, Louise Desautel of Albany, MN; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. Harriet was preceded in death by her parents; a son-in-law, Robert Lanctot; and a brother, James Desautel.

The funeral service for Harriet Anderson will be held at 2:30 p.m Saturday, September 25, 2004, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston with the Rev. Bob Schreiner, presiding. Visitation will be in the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston on Friday from 5-7 p.m, with a 7 p.m prayer service, and also in the Cathedral for an hour before the funeral. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Crookston.

Published in the Grand Forks Herald on 9/24/2004.