Jeannette Elvera Anderson

Jeannette Elvera Anderson passed away peacefully on December 21, 2024 at the Billings Clinic at the age of 98. She was the loving mother of Virginia Waples, Jerry Anderson and Donald Anderson, grandmother of Ian Waples, Carl Anderson and Alan Anderson, and great-grandmother of Sven and Fleur Anderson.

Jeannette was born to Martin and Jennie Wirtanen in 1926 in the beautiful Cape Cod village of West Barnstable, where she lived the first 23 years of her life. She was the younger sister of Virginia and Martin Wirtanen. Jeannette was fiercely proud of her Finnish heritage. She always treasured the memories of her Cape Cod childhood. Jeannette graduated from Barnstable High School and attended Becker Junior College in Worchester, Ma. At the end of WWII, Jeannette went on a cross-country car trip with her sister to visit their brother in San Francisco, where she met a handsome young sailor named Gerald Anderson. A romance ensued and in 1949 they were married. They remained happily married until Gerald's death in 1999. Gerald went to work with Westinghouse, which led them to live successively in Portland, Oregon (1949), Bellevue, Washington (1961), Palos Verdes Peninsula, California (1971), and Lake Oswego Oregon (1973). Several years after Gerald's death, in 2006, Jeannette relocated to Billings, Montana to be near her daughter for the rest of her life.

Jeannette was a talented pianist. She began playing hymns for Sunday School in West Barnstable at the age of 11. She enjoyed playing all her life, including playing for church services and activities, and in retirement homes. One of her great joys was to play music with her children. She loved attending musical events. Jeannette was an avid knitter. She volunteered as an English reading tutor. She served as a Cub Scout leader. She also enjoyed traveling, making trips to see her son and grandchildren in France, visiting her parents' homeland of Finland, recreating in Hawaii, and revisiting her beloved Cape Cod. Jeannette worked as a typesetter and page layout staffer at the Lake Oswego Review during her time in Oregon. Jeannette was a devout Christian. She was an active member of Newport Covenant Church in Bellevue, of Lake Baptist Church in Lake Oswego, and of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Billings.

Jeannette was preceded in death by her husband Gerald, brother Martin E. Wirtanen, sister Helen Virginia Wirtanen, and by her parents Martin and Jennie Wirtanen. It is Jeannette's wish that she be cremated and have a memorial service at the site of husband Gerald's grave at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon. Date of service to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Gideons International or to the charity of your choice.