George Anderson

Hastings resident George L. Anderson, 85, passed away Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE.

Memorial Services are 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 15, at Butler Volland Chapel in Hastings with Chaplain John Mueller officiating. Burial with military rites by Hastings Military Honor Guard will be in Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Memorials may be given to Hastings Military Honor Guard. There will be no viewing or visitation.

George was born on a farm just outside of Tabor, IA. After he graduated, he worked in a packing plant in Omaha before moving to California to live with his aunt and uncle. Six months after moving, he got a draft letter so he moved back home and enlisted in the Air Force in December 1951. He would spend the next 22 years of his life serving his country. He went to New York for basic training. His first assignment was Adak, AK in the Aleutian Islands, effective June 1952-June 1953. After Adak, he went to Ohio where he would reach the rank of Staff Sergeant. March 1956 took him out of the country to France, then to Saudi Arabia. When he came back to the States, he was stationed in Alamogordo, NM, where he would meet the love of his life, Fumiko. Their fall into love was a quick one-their first date was July 12, 1958 and they got married October 31 of that year. August 6, 1959 saw the birth of their only child, Irene. In October, he transferred to Wiesbaden, Germany. Fumiko and Irene joined him a few months later. After 3 years in Germany, they had a short stay in Clovis, NM, before heading to Japan. In Japan, George met his in-laws for the first time, and he was promoted to Master Sergeant. From Japan, they moved to St. Louis, MO in 1968. In 1971, he went on a tour to Southeast Asia-the only one that Fumiko and Irene couldn’t join him on. He was promoted to Senior Master Sergeant in Thailand. From SE Asia, he requested to be stationed at Offutt AFB in Bellevue, NE. He stayed there for six months before retiring with 21 years, six months, and three days of service. In those 22 years, he visited 18 different countries and spent half his service overseas.

After retiring, he worked at the Glenwood State Hospital School in Glenwood, IA doing grounds maintenance. He retired in June 1994 and they moved to Hastings to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, camping, and woodworking. His favorite thing to do was to spend time with his family.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Fumiko (Ichikawa) Anderson; and his parents, George H. Anderson and Juanita Faye (Long) Anderson.

George is survived by his daughter, Irene Dillin and Jeff Kirkpatrick of Hastings; grandchildren, Walt and Penny Worlein of Randolph, NE, Bobby and Samantha Worlein of Fremont, NE, and Nicole Dillin of Hastings; great-grandchildren, Dominic Worlein, Brayden Worlein, Kamdin Worlein, Caidynce Worlein, Aubrey Worlein, Jami Worlein, Declan Worlein, and Brooklyn Worlein; brother, Marion Anderson of Loveland, CO; and sister, Winifred Konrad of Thornton, CO.