Anna "Grace" Andersen

Grace Andersen, 87, of Kearney, died Sunday, October 30, 2016 at Welcov Assisted Living in Kearney. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday November 2, 2016 at the O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney. Memorials are suggested to the Kearney First United Methodist Church and the Seneca Cemetery Association. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Anna “Grace” Rodewald Andersen was born on December 30th, 1928 in Denver Colorado to Silva Kirkpatrick Rodewald and Edward Rodewald, their fifth child. She was raised on a cattle ranch in the Sandhills of, south of Seneca, Nebraska with her siblings Evelyn, Dae, Donald, Bessie and Leland. She attended, on horseback, a country elementary school near the ranch. During her teen years she lived in Seneca, 18 miles from the ranch, to attend the Seneca High School. Nadine Anderson was her high school roommate. During her high school years, Grace met and fell in love with Dale Andersen of Seneca. He was known as her city slicker and she his country girl. Following High School graduation, she taught school for one year near her parent’s ranch. On June 9th, 1947, Grace eloped to her cousin’s home in Lincoln, where she and Dale were married by a Methodist minister. They made their home in Seneca in a 16ft aluminum pull trailer which did not have water or sewer. Grace worked at the Stockman’s Bank while Dale worked on the steam locomotives for Burlington Railroad. When Dale was laid off by the railroad, he went to work for Roberts Construction, which required moving from job site to job site in their aluminum trailer. While living in Seneca, our son Myron was born in 1950. Two years later, while living in Arnold, our daughter Patty was born. Grace and Dale then decided, they did not want a life of constant relocating, so when Dale found a job with Custer County as a mechanic, they move to Broken Bow in 1952. Grace and Dale found Broken Bow and Custer County a good place to raise their children and make a living. Wages were not high, so in 1958 they bought a little grocery store, the “First Avenue Store” Grace and her children Myron 8 yrs old, and Patty 6 yrs old ran the store. It was a good business with Dale helping on the weekends. They owned the store for 13 years and during that time were open 365 days a year. Grace and Dale were always willing to open the store in the evening or the night if someone needed milk for a baby or Aspirin etc. During that time they bought the big old house across the street from the store. It took a lot of work to fix it up but it turned out to be a beautiful home for our family. Our children worked in the store, attended school, and then left for college. After selling the store, Grace went to work for Custer County Highway Department part time. The county soon decided that they needed her for the weed district as well part time, so she worked full time for Custer County for 12 years. In 1973 they purchased an RV which started them down a new rewarding path. Grace and Dale were able to travel and spend precious time with their grandchildren, Chad and Stacy of Kearney and Audra of Jackson Hole Wyoming. This led into 15 years of wintering for 5 months in Fredericksburg, Texas, where they developed many friendships. After retirement Grace helped in their Car Wash business as needed. She continued to stay busy with her many talents of gardening, canning, crocheting, and cooking. In 2002, Grace and Dale moved to Kearney, Ne. to be near their son and family. Again, Grace made wonderful friends in her neighborhood and at First United Methodist Church. Grace had a wonderful life together with her loving husband Dale. They were a shining example of loving commitment through the good times as well as the tough times. When Grace suffered a brain aneurysm in 2005, her miraculous recovery was due not only to a skilled surgeon and wonderful medical care but the unwavering determination of her husband and family that she would recover, and recover she did. This union made in heaven was severed with her husband’s death in 2013. Ever the strong elegant lady, Grace moved into Welcov, the facility that she and Dale had chosen together. She made many friends but always longed to go to be with her beloved husband and daughter Patty, who had died of breast cancer in 2013 as well. Family visitors were the highlight of her days especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. God knew her heart’s desire, thus on Sunday October 30th, 2016, she departed this life to join those that had gone before. Grace was a very loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to many. Grace will be so missed, but while mourning her, we must be comforted by her ascent to join her family and friends in heaven. Grace is survived by her sister Bessie Walker, brother in law Bill Andersen wife June, sister in law Char Taylor husband Loren, sister in law Kay Wolfenden husband Leroy, her son Myron Andersen wife Ruth, her son-in-law Jerry DeFrance, grandson Chad Andersen wife Tracy, granddaughter Audra DeFrance Gilman husband Brian, granddaughter Stacy Andersen Bivona husband Blake, step grandson Jeremy Gove wife Anissa, step granddaughter Jennifer Gove DiGaetano husband Michael, and step grandson Jeffery Gove wife Alyssa. In addition 16 beautiful great grandchildren, many other relatives and friends. Grace was preceded in death by her parents Edward and Silva Rodewald, sisters Bertha, Evelyn, Dae, and brothers Donald and Leland, her beloved husband Dale and beautiful daughter Patty Andersen DeFrance.

Anna "Grace" Andersen

December 30, 1928 - October 30, 2016