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Anderson, Stuart Curtis 91, of Deer River, passed into heaven on Aug 25 looking out over his beloved Little Moose Lake. He had spent the last year fighting a resurgence of prostate cancer that eventually metastasized and overtook him. He was born on August 19, 1930 to Curtis and Blanch Anderson in Hutchinson, MN. He spent his youth in Hutchinson, Rainy Lake and in California as he and his Mom followed his Father who was stationed there while serving in the Navy in the Pacific theatre. Following Graduation from High School, he was accepted into both West Point and Annapolis but could not pass the eye examination for either school. So, he studied at Macalester and the University of MN until volunteering for the Navy in early 1951 during the Korean War. While home on leave, he met and married the love of his life, Phyllis Keeler of Deer River, and they were married for 69 wonderful years. After discharge, he attended the University of Maryland on the GI Bill and graduated with degrees in structural engineering and architecture. He took a job with the Tennessee Valley Authority, and they lived in Knoxville, TN until 1957 when he took a structural engineering position with Arthur G McKee and he and Phyllis moved to Hibbing to be closer to their families. Stu and Phyllis adopted and raised two children in Hibbing, Steve and Sandy, while spending weekends at the cabin at Little Moose Lake. In 1986, McKee folded, and Stu and a few other remaining engineers formed Noramco. In 1992, Stu retired from Noramco, moved to the cabin and started a consulting structural engineering firm, which he ran full-time and served the needs of Northern MN until his retirement as a Professional Engineer in August 2020 at age 90. Stu was highly active in the First Presbyterian Church of Hibbing and later the United Methodist Church of Deer River. He was also a principal member of the Grand Rapids Gideon’s organization for over 20 years. Christianity was the guiding force in Stu’s life and was the top priority for his family. Stu’s interests and activities are too numerous to mention. He loved hunting and the outdoors and was a highly active member of the Isaac Walton League, the Hibbing Rifle team, the Hibbing Sportsmen club, the Grand Rapids Sportsmen club, and the Deer River Sportsmen club. He helped fund and design the gun ranges for the Hibbing and Deer River clubs and was a competitive shooter in small-bore, high-power, and trap shooting. He and Phyllis volunteered to teach firearm safety to kids for over 55 years. Stu was an avid reader (especially military history), painted with water colors and oils, enjoyed photography, taught his family to play golf and tennis, taught his family to water ski, enjoyed both street and off-road motorcycles (he and Phyllis covered virtually the entire US and he was still riding his Kawasaki 1100 until age 88), was in the snowmobile club (including running the groomer), loved dogs (though, in fairness, he was not the best dog trainer!), had his own gunsmith business, did dozens of canoe trips to the BWCA with family and friends, cross country skied (including winter camping in the BWCA), built his cabin, enjoyed sailing (including building two sailboats from scratch) and loved grouse, duck, and deer hunting. In everything he pursued, Stu gave 100% and gave freely of his time – but he always did it with his wife at his side and his family involved whenever possible. He will be deeply missed, but it was a life well-lived, and his influence to family and friends will carry-on for generations.
Preceded in death by his parents, Curtis and Blanch.
Survived by wife Phyllis Anderson; children Steve Anderson, daughter Sandy (Anderson) Wheelecor, son-in-law Bill Wheelecor, daughter in-law Michelle Anderson; grandchildren Matt Wheelecor (Kendra Wheelecor), Mitchel Wheelecor, Madason (Wheelecor) Thompson (Wyatt Thompson), Noah Anderson, Eva Anderson; great grandchildren Karson (Wheelecor) Koski, Mason Wheelecor, Elsie Wheelecor, Ava Thompson, Amelia Thompson, Oden Thompson.
Special thanks to Bill and Sandy Wheelecor for the extra work, care and attention they provided Stu in recent years.
A celebration of life will be held on Monday, August 30th at 11 am at the United Methodist Church, 27 1st Ave NE, Deer River, MN 56636. Preceded by a gathering of family and friends and followed by a luncheon and internment in the Deer River cemetery. No gifts but, if possible, please enjoy his daily Black Russian in his memory.
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