|
Wendell Anderson, 85, died August 15, in Albuquerque. Born in St. Maries, ID, to Swedish immigrants, he played football for Lakeview, OR's high school, began writing and publishing poetry then, and continued through life, with prose, too. He lived awhile in the Henry Miller group at Big Sur, CA. Also an artist, he believed he was a descendent of philosopher, Swedenborg. His poems are about nature, family, the West...and Universe. Some will be in Taos Historical Society's new book. He carried mail in OR, worked for the Forest Service and Social Service in NM, helped clear Taos' first ski run, drove the Harwood Bookmobile to outlying schools, and taught creative writing in New Hampshire. He was known for his drive, stick-to-itness and fierce loyalty to them he cared about, focusing on immediacies and profundities more than "betweens"--happiest when on or facing a mountain. He was an original "beyond words"...unless description of the outfit he chose for his 911 call and 6 blks. ambulance ride, at dawn, to the hospital, widebrim straw, Hawaiian shirt, chinos, mountain shoes and buffalo-nichol bolo tie. No wonder so many people loved him! Bereaved include Petite, his female dachshund, 18, and Frances Root, his constant companion the past 13 years of Albuquerque; his son, Martin Belloc of Mill Valley, CA; niece, Lisa Shearer; brother-in-law, Harlan Olson of OR; cousin, Sonny Espling and wife, Pia and Kim, Ellen and Elias of Sweden; sister-in-law, Virginia Snyder; niece, Wendy MacNeil and husband, Ronald and Jazi and Noah; nephew, Gordon Snyder and wife, Stell and Linnea and Sarae all of New Hampshire; nephew, John Snyder and wife, Rebecca and Harris and Emmitt of Canada; brother-in-law, Dr. Ronald Ferry Jr. and wife, Sylvia; nephew, Charles Ferry; niece, Elizabeth Ferry; niece, Sylvia and husband, Edward Smith and Lindsey and Nathan of VT; his extended family of over 60 years, fellow-poet, Judson Crews and Mildred Tolbert, Carole Crews, Iris McLoughlin all of Taos, Anna Bush Crews of Wales, Sohrab Crews of London, Ariana Koers and husband, Alex Koers and Nikeo of Albuquerque, Edwina McLoughlin of San Francisco; "step-children", Francie Sterling and husband, Ken, Kristina Sterling and Eileen Sterling of CA. He was predeceased by parents, Gustav, a lumber-grader, and Ebba Isaacsson Anderson; sisters, Gloria Anderson and Barbara Shearer; and uncle, Arvid Anderson, who when Wendell was a tot, lived with the family high in the center of a meadowed slough that in winter became a frozen lake; wife of 30 years, Emily Ferry; "step-son", Clarence Sterling; and "step-dachshund", Dudley. An October service is being planned.
|
