WILLIAM R. ANDERSON

William R. “Billy”Anderson, 62 of Devils Lake, ND died on Sunday evening, January 31, 2010 at Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake. Services for Billy will be held at the Warwick Lutheran Church, Warwick, ND on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. Rev. David Nichols will officiate with burial in the Warwick Cemetery in the spring. Military Honors will be accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars, Lake Region Honor Guard and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and on Monday at the church one hour prior to services. Honorary Bearers will be all of Billy’s loving family and dear friends. William was born on June 30, 1947 at Devils Lake, ND the son of Willis R. and Cora V. (Jacobson) Anderson. He was reared and educated in the Warwick area and lived most of his life there. Billy graduated from Warwick High School with the class of 1965. He entered the United States Army, serving his country during the Vietnam War. After his honorable discharge he returned to the Warwick area and worked as the manager of Tiny Tiger in Devils Lake and later at the Tiny Tiger in Brookings, South Dakota. Later he established a Hog operation on a farm in the Warwick area and also was self-employed for many years doing repair work, carpentry, most anything that needed to be done. Billy was united in marriage to Marlis Johnson on November 28, 2009 after being committed to each other and the love of his life for over 30 years. Billy was a true steward of the land. That land was a greenhouse full of plants, a huge garden and sometimes a few potted plants on the porch of the house. He used every tool available to him, to grow bigger and better vegetables. He used the Internet to gain knowledge about new varieties of plants, he had a worm farm so he could use them in improving the soil and growing conditions for his plants and was an avid reader. After all his hard work he generously gave the abundance of his crops to his family and friends for them to enjoy. But we can best define Billy as a devoted husband and loving father and grandfather. He wanted to always be there for his children and he took to being a “Grandpa” like a fish takes to water. He loved spending time with his children and especially his grandchildren and watching them grow and participate in activities. Billy was a baptized and confirmed member of the Warwick Lutheran Church. He was at one time married to Kay Erickson and to this union a son, Troy was born. We have lost someone very special and our hearts ache with sadness but we will hold his memory in our hearts forever. Billy is survived by his loving family. His wife, Marlis of Devils Lake; Children, Troy Anderson, Texas, Courtney and her husband, Frank BlackCloud, Colleen Anderson and her special friend Brandin Nelson, Ashley Anderson and her fiancé Napoleon Fournier all of Fort Totten and adopted son, Billy Foote and his special friend Hope GoodShield of Devils Lake; Grandchildren: Jadeisha BlackBird, Avery BlackCloud, Kayleisha “Ling Ling” BlackCloud, Eliza Cavanaugh, Joseph Thumb II, Olivia Cavanaugh, Jermiah Thumb, Noah Fournier, Braylon Foote, Sheldon Foote and Brylie Foote.; Sisters: Geraldine Brodell of Warwick and Marion Anderson of Devils Lake; Sisters-In-Law and Brother-In-Law: Pat Johnson of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Roland (Julie) Johnson of Tokio, ND and Marlene (Fritz) Pederson of Grand Forks, ND; Many nieces, nephews and cousins also survive. Billy was preceded in death by his parents; grandchildren, Suri and Alex Fournier; niece, Birdie Thomas; brother-in-law, Chris Johnson and sister-in-law, Colleen Johnson;