Homer Leonard Andersen
POLSON — Homer Leonard Andersen, 89, died peacefully at Saint Joseph Medical Center in Polson on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, following a long battle with prostate cancer. Homer was born on Oct. 29, 1926, in Grenora, North Dakota, at the nearest hospital to his family home, which was just outside of Dagmar, Montana. His parents, John B. and Rose Schermer Andersen, raised four children: Lenora, June, Homer and Howard.
Homer’s parents grew grain, put up hay, and raised cattle and hogs on their eastern Montana farm of about 1,000 acres, so there was always plenty of work to be done. After the eighth grade Homer began working for family friends and his uncles helping with farm chores. In 1941, his father moved the family to the Swan Valley after hearing good things about western Montana from his brothers George and Andrew. After discovering that the Swan Valley was not a good area to raise cattle, the family moved to the Polson area in 1943 where they raised wheat, barley, oats and hay, cared for a dairy herd of 40 cows and bred and fattened 50 hogs yearly on a 400-acre farm.
Homer was anxious to join the war effort so in early 1945 he joined the Army and was sent to Korea to help prepare for the Korean War as a Full Track Driver of an M-4, as well as peeling potatoes when told to. He served until his honorable discharge in December of 1946. He was very proud to serve his country.
After returning to the Polson area, he worked as a farm hand at the Union 76 Station and as a lineman. Finally, he began his career drilling water wells for Liberty Drilling. He was an expert at running a cable tool-drilling rig, drilling wells all over western Montana as well as Idaho and Alaska. Over the years he trained many young men from the valley who went on to have their own water well drilling careers.
He met the love of his life, Juanita Long McManus, and married her with her young daughters Coni and Laurie on Dec. 18, 1957. After having two more daughters, Shelley and Sandee, they made their home in 1961 at the foot of the Mission Mountains east of Polson. There they raised their four girls.
Homer dearly loved his 11 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, (plus one on the way), and his three great great-grandchildren. His best times were when his grandkids visited. He loved teasing them and telling them stories of the adventures he’d had throughout his life.
Homer was preceded in death by his parents, John and Rose Andersen; grandchildren, Chad Adler and Joseph Andersen Dobson; sisters, Lenora Stephens and June Rose; and son-in-law, Leo Brueggeman.
Homer is survived by his wife, Emma Juanita Andersen; daughters, Coni Brueggeman of Big Lake, Alaska, Laurie (Craig) Lillethun of Ronan, Shelley (Art) Metz of Whitefish and Sandee Andersen of Polson; brother Howard Andersen of Polson; sisters-in-law Cookie Mead of Alberton and Peggy Seifert of Polson; his many grandchildren living as near as Polson, Ronan and Missoula to as far away as Washington, Alaska and Cancun, Mexico; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services have been held. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
A celebration of life to share memories of Homer will be held for friends and family from near and far, towards the end of July, with details provided at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are under care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.
