Ross T. Anderson

Ross Anderson, age 79, of Grafton, ND passed away on April 28th, 2023 at his home surrounded by his family and listening to John Denver.  Ross was born on September 17th, 1943 in Grafton, the son of the late Earl and Ione (Midgarden) Anderson. He was baptized, confirmed, and a lifelong member of South Trinity Lutheran Church. 
 
He attended grade school at Sinkler country school and graduated from the Walsh County Ag School in Park River in 1961. Following high school, he graduated from the North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton, ND in the printing program (he always said he chose printing because the line for farming was too long). 
 
After graduating, he started his own printing business, Anderson Printing Company, in Janesville, WI. While in Wisconsin, he met Colleen Brady and they were married at the Church By the Side of the Road in Rockton, IL on April 21st, 1979. Ross made many lifelong friends during his time in Wisconsin including the Sunny Slope School House gang.
 
He returned to Walsh County in 1981 to join his father and brother on the family farm to raise seed potatoes, sugarbeets, and grain. In addition to farming, he and Colleen owned Valley Farm Toys and traveled the region selling farm toys and making many friends along the way.
 
Ross was always up for a good time whether it was an ice fishing trip, catching up with friends at the Legion, attending Saturday “board meetings” at JR’s in Oakwood, or camping at Larimore Dam. 
 
Football was an event that brought his family together whether it was cheering on the Green Bay Packers, at home, as an official shareholder, trips to Lambeau Field, or a road trip to Frisco, TX to cheer on the North Dakota State Bison. 
 
He was happiest around a campfire surrounded by family and friends with a cooler by his side.
 
In recent years, he loved keeping busy in the yard, going for coffee with the guys at Nash Grain, spending time with his six grandchildren, and going for a ride with Colleen. 
 
A special memory of his was taking his 89 year-old mother to Norway in 2009. 
 
He is survived by his wife, Colleen, Grafton, ND; children: Shelly Anderson (David Wickert), Stone Mountain, GA, Melissa (Matthew) Oppegard, Park River, ND, Lindsey Anderson, St. Thomas, ND, Megan (Davis) Thompson, Park River, ND; grandchildren: Shelby and Carter Wickert, Ellie, Myla, and Jude Thompson, and Adelyn Oppegard; sister: Genell (Wayne) Jallo, Fordville, ND; many in-laws, nieces and nephews, and cousins.  Ross was preceded in death by his parents, brother Vance, mother and father-in-law, and aunts and uncles. 
 
The family would like to thank First Care Health Center of Park River and Hospice of the Red River Valley and would appreciate memorials given to those organizations in lieu of flowers. 
 
Funeral Services will be Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 10:30 A.M. at the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Park River.  Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-7 P.M. with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton.  Friends may call at the church on Wednesday for one hour prior to the service.  Inurnment will be at South Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, rural Grafton, at a later date. The service will be live streamed on the Our Saviour’s Lutheran church Facebook page.
 
An online guestbook is available at www.tollefsonfuneralhome.com
 
The Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton is in charge of the arrangements.

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