DASSEL, MN (October 23, 2014) — Helen (Johnson) Anderson, widow of Covenant pastor Gilbert Anderson, died Thursday, October 16. She was 100.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 2, in the Fellowship Center of Covenant Village of Golden Valley.
Helen was born November 19, 1913, to Arvid and Eva Johnson in Kerkhoven, Minnesota. She worked in California during WW II.
Helen and Gilbert married in 1945. They served Viking Covenant Church and Mission Covenant Church in Viking and Rosewood, Minnesota; Bethany Covenant Church in Chicago, Evangelical Covenant Church in Lanyon, Iowa; Escalon Covenant Church in Escalon, California; Fridley Covenant Church in Fridley, Minnesota; and Kensington Covenant and the Evangelical Covenant Church in Kensington and Barrett, Minnesota.
Helen and Gilbert had three children: John, Daniel and Rachel.
Retirement led them to Dassel, Minnesota, for nine years before they joined the Covenant Village of Golden Valley community in December 1987. Gilbert preceded Helen in death in 1988, five months after their move to Covenant Village.
Helen babysat my siblings and me in Escalon, California in the 60’s. We would walk from Dent Elementary to The pastor’s house and stay there until my dad finished teaching and coaching at the local high school. I remember playing in the backyard and having after-school snack in the kitchen. Special days were when she made homemade donuts. We were ‘The Headrick’ kids. We were raised by a single dad so she was definitely a Godsend for our dad and family. Pastor Anderson was always kind as well. Helen was very kind and I’m glad she had a long life.
Helen attended Brookdale Covenant Church in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. I am a child of that church and a college friend of her daughter Rachel. She was a gracious and caring individual and always made me feel that our weekly greeting to each other was something special. Peace to her memory.
Helen babysat my brother and I for a couple years when we lived in Golden Valley, Minnesota, in the late 80’s. She had a nice blend of characteristics that made her a great babysitter and friend. She would pitch to us when we played backyard baseball, then she’d feed us a nice meal and we’d play card games. She was always active and always smiling. Sometimes she would also give us coffee and have us wear her wigs:) She was a very sweet lady.
Pastor Gilbert and Helen were my pastor and pastor’s wife at Fridley Covenant when I was in grade school. They were both wonderful people and I have many good memories of them from when I was little. I’m glad I’ve been able to see her off and on the last couple of decades. She still knew who I was even last year at her 100th birthday celebration. We have lost a great lady here on earth. I’m looking forward to seeing her again after my death.
Good memories of her and her husband at Lanyon when I was small and fortunate that our families stayed in touch. Enjoyed a wonderful visit with them in Dassel during the early 80’s. Faithful and graceful; with a pleasant way of service and concern for others.