Richard Carsten Anderson's Obituary
One thing you can say about Richard or Dickie, is that he was always competitive. So, if life is a race, in this case he would be happy to say that he beat us to the finish line. Richard Carsten Anderson, 92, of Puyallup Washington, passed away peacefully on March 3rd, 2023, surrounded by his loved ones at Northern Living Center.
Richard was born in Puyallup, Washington on May 31, 1930, to Carsten and
Adolphine (Felbel) Anderson. His father passed away when he was just a boy, after which he was raised by his mother and grandmother in Puyallup. They did not have an alarm clock so he often ran late to school; perhaps this fueled his later accomplishments as an athlete: he earned a scholarship for track to Pacific Lutheran College in 1949. While in high school he was an all-around athlete and class president, but most importantly, he met his life-long love, Barbara Jean Huppert, when he pushed her off the dock into Surprise Lake. They took the plunge together and got married three years later. When the Korean conflict began, Richard enlisted in the Coast Guard and was stationed in Hawaii where he worked with sonar technology for three years. After completing his service, they moved back to Fircrest, Washington, and bought their first home. They lived there for more than 50 years and attended Redeemer Lutheran church that whole time where he served in various positions, including as a deacon. They raised their two children, Kris and
Kerry in that house. Richard worked as a New York Life Insurance sales agent, a job he loved. He was smart, tidy, and artistic, and enjoyed landscaping their beautiful yard. He always loved sports, making dates with Barbara to watch boxing matches. He would even watch a football game while listening to another on the radio, much to Barbara’s dismay. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling with Barbara; they made their way to all but two continents. Health issues eventually led to Alaska in 2014, where they lived with their daughter, and where their son was able to visit.
He is survived by his brothers, Reverend Douglas (Paula) Lindsay and Larry (Peggy) Lindsay; son Kris Anderson; daughter Kerry (Lance) McKimson; three grandchildren, Brandy (Duane) Carpenter, Nathaniel (Kendra) McKimson, and Bryan (Ali) McKimson; and six great-grandchilderen: Ruston, Winsor, Wanda, Royce, Daisy, and Harbor. As he wished, Richard will be interred at Mountain View Funeral Home April 18, 2024, along with his beloved wife Barbara.
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