Leslie Anderson

was born in Minot, ND,

on November 26, 1942, to

Silas and Gladys (Haugen)

Anderson. Growing up,

Leslie was a sweet, comi-

cal boy who could make

everyone laugh, and

remained deeply loved by

his mother his entire life.

He made sure to keep in

contact and check on her

regularly. He was bap-

tized and lived in Minot

until his parents bought

their farm near Ross in

1949. Leslie was con-

firmed and attended high

school in Ross. He

worked for several local

farmers and ranchers in-

cluding his future

father-in-law, Oddie Tiis-

to. Leslie had known Jan-

ice most of his life, but it

was during this time

working for Oddie that

Leslie asked permission to

begin their dating. Leslie

married Janice Tiisto in

Stanley, ND, on May 13,

1966. They started out

living in Montana and

South Dakota with Leslie

working in the oilfield,

but eventually settled on a

farm/ranch near Belden

where they raised their

six kids, and shared their

home with many foster

children. He liked to sing

to his kids in the car dur-

ing trips. The Strawberry

Roan and the Auctioneer

Song were his favorite

songs.

Leslie loved taking his

grandkids places even

when they were in

diapers, because he knew

he could con a waitress

somewhere into changing

one if he needed to. He

loved teasing his

grandkids. He tried over

and over to bring them ice

cream, and was always so

sorry telling them he had

to eat theirs on the way

because it started to melt.

He always carried pliers

on his belt and the

grandkids knew to hide

their bare toes if the

pinching started. He

loved hugs and told every

grandkid that theirs were

the best hugs.

Mostly, Leslie was a

cowboy and loved being

outdoors. He rode all year

long and spent more days

in the saddle than not. He

usually had a young horse

he was working on. He

never kept the same one

for very long and said,

“There’s so many young

horses out there that get

canned, why not give

them a chance.” He loved

to ride with family and

friends, and to travel to

different places like the

North Unit to ride. He

also enjoyed having a

team of horses to drive.

Leslie rode off for

heaven from his home on

September 16, 2016. His

family was there to watch

him go, with broken

hearts and falling tears.

He will be dearly missed

and never forgotten.

Leslie is survived by

his wife, Janice of 50

years; children: Wanda

Halvorson, Becky Johnson

(Dan), Scott Anderson

(Tori), Kim Reynolds

(Wes), Tera Skaar (Wade),

and Brent Anderson (Nix-

ie); 20 grandchildren and

11 great-grandchildren:

Haley (Scott) Mortensen

and their children,

Harper, Addie and

Bowen; Stevie Halvorson

and her children, Gavin,

Jayce, and Tate; Riley

(Jasmynn) Halvorson and

their daughter, Linnaya;

Dallas Halvorson and

Sunny Halvorson; Casey

(Amber) Johnson and

their children, Hannah,

Hunter, Lily and Eli;

Derek (Shayna) Johnson

and son, Mason; Tanner

(Cheyenne) Johnson;

Stetson Anderson, Trent

Anderson, Dawson

Anderson, Fancy Rey-

nolds (Alex), Dusty Rey-

nolds, Rooster Reynolds,

Brody Skaar, Dane Skaar,

Jordee Skaar, Jake Ander-

son, Jud Anderson and

Cody Anderson; mother,

Gladys Anderson; brother

Terry (Ruth) Anderson;

sisters: Janice (Howard)

Rehak and Sandra

(Richard) Uran; mother-

in-law Leleen Tiisto and

sister-in-law Karen(Gene)

Wichterman and many

nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in

death by his father-in-law

Oddie Tiisto, and his fa-

ther Silas, who also

passed away on Sep-

tember 16 in 1992 and a

grandson Dale Rehak.

Leslie’s funeral service

is Wednesday, September

21, 2016 at 11 a.m. in Our

Savior’s Free Lutheran

Church, Stanley. Burial

will follow at Belden

Cemetery, rural Belden.

Visitation is Tuesday,

September 20, from 10

a.m. to 4 p.m. at Springan

Funeral Home, Stanley.

Online condolences

may be shared at www.springanfuneralhome.com