Albert Nels Anderson

Albert Nels Anderson

Born: 03/29/1932

Albert was born in Spooner, Wisconsin to his parents, Arthur and Louisa Anderson. His parents met while his father, who was a Sergeant Major in the US Marines, was stationed in Nicaragua. Albert only spoke Spanish when he was very young and learned to speak English as a second language while going to a single-room school in the small town of Gresham, Oregon. Albert met his first wife, our mother, while attending the University of Portland in Oregon. Rosalind had a small child (2 years old) when they met and after they were married Albert adopted little George.

Thereafter, Teresa (Terri) was born in 1954, Thomas (Tom) was born in 1956, and Little Arthur (Art) was born in 1960. Art was named after the two grandfathers, Aurthur and Abe. Albert joined the Army when he was only 15 years old and was a member of the Oregon National Guard until later when he, as a school teacher, went into the Army full-time as an Officer.

He also obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Portland.

Albert was separated from his family from 1964 to 1965 when he was stationed in Korea, and again when he was sent to Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. As an officer in the regular Army, he was transferred basically every year, Texas, Korea (family in Oregon), University of Wyoming, North Carolina, Vietnam (family in Las Vegas), North Carolina and Pennsylvania until Albert had a massive heart attack at the age of 37 caused by a blood clot breaking loose from his leg. Because Albert was in such great physical shape, he survived the cardiac arrest and lived another 55 years.

In 1974, Albert and Rosalind were divorced and he remarried in 1975 to Joyce. They lived together until Joyce’s death in 2010.

They moved to Simi Valley, CA and lived there for about 8 years and then moved to Parris, CA until 2018, when he moved to Hot Springs (Pearcy) AR and lived on Harvey and Terri’s property until June 15, 2025. He loved it there except for all the rain...odd considering he grew up in Oregon.

Albert was passionate about his faith and his relationship with his savior, Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church. He was also passionate about his life with the Knights of Columbus. He was a member, including Grand Knight, for 26 years until leaving California. He felt a very special relationship with the other members and the feeling went clearly in both directions.

After retiring from the Army as an Airborne Major, he worked for Las Vegas Fertilizer, which was owned by Rosalind’s family. He also worked at Camping World before retiring.

His church affiliation in California was St. James Catholic Church, and his church affiliation in Arkansas was Trinity Holiness Church, led by Bro. Sam Anderson.

Albert had a nice, brand new mobile home with 2 special care givers (Theresa McGrew and his granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers) that loved him very much and looked after his needs for 12 hours a day as the onset of Dementia set in and continually got worse and worse robbing him of his memory and mental faculties, but never robbing him of his spirit or his wonderful outlook on life. Albert never got upset or felt sorry for himself and he was always a man of integrity and humility through the day he left us. Always a ...”Nice Guy”. The best way to describe Albert was that he was a “Nice Guy”. Humble and Gentle.

Albert is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur E. Anderson and Maria Louisa De Simpson; his first wife, Rosalind M. Anderson, their son, George R. Cleveland, and their daughter, Teresa L. Clark; his second wife, Joyce Anderson; his brothers, Arthur E. Anderson (Buddy) and Norman Anderson; and his grandson, Jeramy Hand.

Albert is survived by his sons, Tom N. Anderson and Arthur A. Anderson; his grandchildren, Amy, Alex, Jennifer, Aaron, Kyle, Nathan, Mandi, Sara, and Jodi; his great-grandchildren, Stephen, Corey, Adelynn, Ethan, Luke, Lorelei, Farran, Lyla Rose, Michael, Maria, Eva, Ben, Christian, Gavin, Cameran, Izzy, Aoe, Casey, Kaidence, and Aidyn; and 6 great-great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Smith Family Funeral Home in Hot Springs, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM.