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Richard ANDERSON

April 5, 2008

ANDERSON Richard ('Dick') Hjalmer Feb. 12, 1922 - March 24, 2008 At the age of 86, Richard passed away peacefully in his bed in Burnaby, BC. He was born in a prairie farmhouse in Manyberries, Alberta, the second youngest of eight children. Raised in Central Alberta, he also moved with his parents as a youth during the Depression to a Finnish community in Karelia, Russia, where he lived for 3 years. He joined the RCAF during WW2 and served in Canada and England. Richard ('Dick') married Theresa ('Jeanne') Benoit in Calgary in 1949. He worked for lumberyards in Vulcan, Drumheller and Dawson Creek, while together they raised a family that eventually included three girls and a boy. In 1962, they moved to Sylvan Lake, where they became the proprietors of the Steam Baths, built by Richard’s father and brother, and a reflection of their Finnish heritage. In 1975, they headed for Saltspring Island, where Richard worked until retirement for BC Ferries. On SSI, they built a house, were avid gardeners and enjoyed sharing their new lifestyle with friends and family. Upon retirement, they moved to Langley to live in the community of Pioneer Park, their home for nearly 20 years. Recently, they moved together to the Finnish Manor in Burnaby. Survived by his wife Theresa of 58 years, daughters Brenda (Geoff) Allan and Shelley, son Brian (Masako), son-in-law Laurier, and 14 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his eldest daughter Arlene in 1999. His absence will be deeply felt, but we cherish many memories and owe much gratitude. A small family memorial service was held on April 2 at Bell Funeral Home in Burnaby. Richard was an avid supporter and participant of the large gathering of the Anderson clan at a reunion held every four years since 1982. In conjunction with the 2008 reunion, a memorial service and interment will also be held in Sylvan Lake, Alberta on August 2, details to be announced. Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us; our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life. – Einstein –