Marilyn Anderson

Marilyn Jean Anderson, 76, of Omaha, Nebraska, died peacefully after a short illness on December 27, 2011 at Hillcrest Health Center in Bellevue, NE.

She was born April 18, 1935 in Omaha, NE, daughter of John Peter Petersen and Helen Gould (Jenkins) Petersen.

Marilyn grew up in Omaha where she graduated from Omaha Technical High School. She then earned her undergraduate degree from Milwaukee Bible College. She married Wendel Lee Anderson on September 22, 1956 at Pella Lutheran Church in Omaha. To this union five children were born: Karen, Kenneth, Kelvin, Kenton, and Kerry. In addition to being a wife and mother, she was the office manager for many years at the family business Keystone Dies, Inc.

After all her children were grown she went back to school and earned her Master's Degree from the University of Nebraska. Marilyn used that degree to teach elementary school. She loved music and played the piano, organ, accordion, and guitar, which she learned to play in her 50's. Marilyn was very active sharing her faith in Jesus Christ; some of the many ways she did this were through Evangelism Explosion and teaching AWANA.

Surviving are husband Wendel Lee Anderson of Omaha, NE; daughter Karen Adkins; four sons: Kenneth, Kelvin, Kenton, and Kerry; sisters: Virginia Mae Shriver and Beverly Jane Sidebottom; six grandchildren: Bethany Maas, Jill Anderson, Rachel Anderson, Ethan Anderson, Ryan Anderson, and Caroline Anderson; and two great-grandchildren: Natalie and Levi; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, brothers J. Allan Petersen and Raymond Earl Petersen, and sister Mary Helen Ehresman.