Virgil Richard Andersen

Virgil Richard Andersen, born April 11, 1920, passed away Monday, May 14, 2018 in Fargo, ND.

Virgil was born to Carrie (Sorensen) and Robert B. Andersen on the family farm in rural Clay County-Meadow Township, Iowa. On May 9, 1920 he was baptized at St. Paul’s rural Lutheran Church and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Church in Spencer, Iowa on April 14, 1935. He attended the rural one room school house and graduated in the eighth grade. He attended Spencer High School for one year but walked out of the school in the Spring of 1935 at age fifteen and never looked back. He went to work on the home farm and also worked for friends, neighbors and relatives as a farm hand for the next six years. He did receive his high school diploma through the Veterans Service Office and the State of Iowa in 2005.

Virgil enlisted in the Marine Corps on Dec. 8, 1941 and served in the South and Western Pacific in WW II. He was honorably discharged on Nov. 27, 1945 at the rank of Tech Sergeant.

After being discharged, he worked for the Quaker Oats Co. in East Los Angeles, CA. He drove truck for the Hunt Brother Packing Co. out of Fullerton, CA and Patek and Co. of Los Angeles, CA and also served with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept.

Virgil and his wife of 60 years, Dorothy and her sister Mildred and husband Bill were married in a double wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada on Aug. 16, 1946. Dorothy passed away on Feb. 25, 2007.

Virgil and Dorothy moved to Fargo, ND in 1948. He drove truck for Dan Dugan and Co. and also worked at the American Chrystal Sugar Plant in Moorhead. On Jan. 17, 1949, he started working for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. as a store keeper in the construction storeroom. From there he moved to City Crew Lineman, then Installer/Repairman for the last 11 years in the Key Systems Dept. He retired on May 1, 1982.

Virgil was active in the Telephone Pioneers, helping at the telephone museum at Bonanzaville. He was a life time member of the Communication Workers of America. He was an outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, fishing and gardening. He was a member of R.S.V.P. Southern Valley Volunteer group, a charter member of the Red River Danes, and charter member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, serving on many church boards and committees and taught Sunday School classes for 20 years. Virgil was an avid bowler; he liked to roll that ball! He also enjoyed his T.V. programs: sports games, Bob Barker’s, “The Price is Right”, and Monte Hall’s, “Let’s Make a Deal” and other game shows. He also enjoyed going to auction sales.

Virgil was a loyal family man, making sure all family members were doing fine. He enjoyed 30 years of summers at the cabin on McDonald Lake with friends, relatives and neighbors.

Virgil is survived by his sons, James R. Andersen, West Fargo, ND, Robert B. (Jean) Andersen, Horace, ND, Randall L. (Marcy) Andersen, Fargo, ND and step-son, Edward Stensrud, Los Angeles, CA; 12 treasured grandchildren, Derek, Jordan, Stephanie, Sadie, Melissa, Tyler, Kyle and Ryan Andersen, Fargo, ND; Edward, Mike, Renee and Carol Stensrud, Los Angeles, CA; 11 great-grandchildren, Richard, Brianna, Robert, Mike, Crystal, Carman, Monique, Devin and Andrew, all of Los Angeles, CA; Sheena of Jamestown, ND and Farrah of Fargo; one brother, Stan (Doris) Andersen, Spencer, Iowa and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; his parents; sisters, Freda Jensen and Florence Christofferson.