Audrey Mae Anderson

Audrey Mae Anderson passed away at home in Rush City on Wednesday December 10, 2014 at the age of 82. She was born in Brook Park, MN on March 13, 1932 to Leslie and Gladys Nowling. Audrey was baptized as an adult with her first-born daughter Cindy at St. Stephanus Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN. Audrey has always had a strong faith and started attending First Lutheran Church in Rush City, MN in the 1980’s. Audrey had a deep faith in God and loved all things about First Lutheran, especially the music. Audrey attended Brook Park grade school, Pine City and Hinckley High Schools and graduated from Hinckley High School in 1951. Audrey enjoyed English classes and was a good writer. She was proud of a special award she received for a paper she wrote in a class. Audrey loved movies, musicals and show tunes. As a child she would baby sit for money and would use the money to see movies. When she would come home from the movies she would perform the songs and dances she saw in the shows. She was a great storyteller and loved to tell stories of her life growing up in the depression. She told tales of eating lard sandwiches, wild game her dad would hunt, wearing clothes made out of old clothes and playing with dolls made of sticks. Audrey had a great work ethic and worked various jobs including waitressing and cooking. She retired from daycare work at the age of 71 years old after 30 years of work in that field. She took care of, and had a hand in raising hundreds of kids. Audrey married Robert (Rabs) Anderson, the love of her life, on June 5, 1971. Rabs helped her raise five children Cindy, Rocky, Val, Julie and Lisa. Together they loved drinking coffee, having picnics, and opening their home to friends and family. Their house was always an open door with the coffee pot running and goodies ready to be enjoyed by anyone who stopped in. Audrey loved cooking, shopping, and decorating her house. More than anything she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She loved spending time with her husband, kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Audrey had such a generous heart and loving spirit. She loved indulging her kids and grandkids in her love and was known to shower them with gifts. Audrey endured many health issues most of her adult life caused by type 1 diabetes, but her amazing strength and love for life got her through numerous health set-backs and she lived a full and productive life despite these obstacles. Audrey is survived by her children: Cindy Bodell of Harris, Rocky (Julie) Bodell of Rock Creek, Val (Dan) Larson of Rush City, Lisa (Tim) Morris of Rush City; 9 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, siblings: Donald Nowling of Cambridge, LaVon Coury of North Branch, Jim Bergvig of Rush City, good friend Sandy Hughes, many nieces, nephews and daycare graduates.  She is preceded in death by her parents Leslie & Gladys (Anderman) Nowling, husband Rabs Anderson, daughter Julie Bodell, brothers LaVern and Carl Nowling, sisters-in-law: Doris (Art) Colliander and Shirley (Chester) Colliander. Reverend Laurie O'Shea will officiate the funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 13, 2014 at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rush City. Visitation and reviewal will be held on Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Olson Funeral Chapel and also one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the William Taylor Cemetery of Rush City. Memorials are preferred to the First Evangelical Lutheran Church-Sunday School. Funeral arrangements for Audrey Anderson (Mrs. Rabs Anderson) of Rush City; are entrusted to the: Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City~Olson Chapel. www.funeralandcremationservice.com