SIOUX CITY -- Richard E. Anderson, 88, Sioux City died Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, at Countryside Nursing Home.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael's Catholic Church, with the Rev. Gary Snyder officiating. Entombment will be in the Mausoleum of the Resurrection in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, with a 4 p.m. rosary by The Carmelite Guild Board, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at Larkin Northside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.

Richard was born on Oct. 26, 1920, in Sioux City, the son of William Harold and Myrtle Elizabeth (Bristow) Anderson. He was raised in Sioux City and attended Woodrow Wilson School and graduated from Central High School in 1939. After he graduated, he went to work for Swift & Co. He worked there until he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942. He boarded the USS Mariposa and sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and landed at Suez, Egypt. He was assigned to the 316 Troop Carrier Group. This carrier group was assigned to the 9th Air Force and worked with the British 8th Army, were he worked on C-47s. He also served in Casablanca, Tunisia, Sicily, England and France, where he maintained gliders.

He was discharged from the Air Force in 1945 as a Master Sgt. After returning to Sioux City, he worked in the office for Swift & Co. and for CSTPMO Railroad until 1948. Richard was a skilled motorcycle rider and enjoyed hill climbing. He purchased his first Harley Davidson in May of 1940 and was a member of the Sioux Cycle Club.

Richard was married to Mary Jane Sheehan on Dec. 30, 1947, in Emerson, Neb. In 1948, he went to work for Iowa Public Service and was employed there for 37 years until he retired in 1985. He has been a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church since 1948 and was very active in the church. He served as the president of the Holy Name Society and volunteered as a money counter for many years.

Richard enjoyed car races and the Friday night boxing matches, he loved to cook for his family and will be remembered for his Saturday night dinner and his Sunday morning breakfast. He enjoyed all kinds of sports, whether he was coaching his sons in Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball or watching his grandchildren sporting events. On Aug. 30, 2000, Richard was presented all of his World War II medals by Senator Charles Grassley.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane of Sioux City; his children, William and Ronda of Sioux City, Michael and Perli of West Richland, Wash., David of Sioux City, Mary Danette "Nettie" and Dennis Semple of Sioux City, Kathleen and D.A. Baustian of Sioux City, James and Shelly of Sgt. Bluff, and Theresa Anderson of Omaha; his grandchildren, Nichole, Michelle, David, Daniel, Danielle, William, DeeLaine, Angela, Michael, Kimberly, Sarah, Matthew, Joseph and Emily, Jennifer, Steven, Elizabeth, Stephanie, Don and Jessica; great-grandchildren, James, Jaxsen, Henry, Michael, Joseph, Robert, Abigail, Alexis, Haley, Grant, Michael, Rosemarie, Caleb, Katelynn, Erin, Nicholas, Spencer, Ian, Makenna, Benjamin, Adilyn, Colin, Gabriella and Joseph; and his sisters, Phyllis Johnson of Merrill, Iowa., Mona VanMeter and June Hebert, both of Sioux City.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Bill; and his sister, Jeanette Huigens.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons.
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