Fay Evangeline Neitzke Anderson was born in Lewiston, Minnesota on Feb. 18, 1926, the first child of John and Bessie Neitzke.
She grew up on the family farm in Rochester, graduating in 1944 from Lewiston High School. Fay then became an registered nurse, graduating from Kahler Hospital School of Nursing in Rochester, Minnesota.
In 1948, Fay moved to Santa Barbara, California where she worked at Cottage Hospital, attended Westmont College, and met her future husband, George Anderson, at the Open Bible Church. They married on June 5, 1949. The couple had three children, Julie Lynn, Lori Jean, and Mark Steven.
Fay’s Christian faith was predominant in her life. She was deeply involved in every church they attended, as a Bible teacher and musician, and in children’s ministry. She also served as an administrator in Bible Study Fellowship, as president of the school Parent Teacher Association, and, off and on, as a nurse.
In 1984, the couple moved to Oregon where they spent the rest of their years together before George’s death in 1997.
They enjoyed traveling in their series of motorhomes and were active members of Emmanuel Bible Church in Salem.
Fay loved spending time with her ten grandchildren, teaching Bible Studies until just the last few years when her eyesight became severely limited, and baking her famous pies, date bars, and chocolate chip cookies.
During the final years of her life, Fay lived in the Springs at Sunnyview Retirement community, and then at The Woods at Willow Creek assisted living (now The Springs at Willow Creek).
Surviving Fay are daughter Julie (Bill) Tourtellotte of Salem; daughter Lori (Doug) Wheeler of Renton, Washington; son Mark (Sandy) Anderson of LaVerne, California; her brother Roger (Ruby) Neitzke; sister-in-law Allene Neitzke; and brother-in-law Dwight Anderson. Her grandchildren include Nathan, Sean and Michael Tourtellotte; Caleb and Gabriel Wheeler; and Jessica Lambert, Valya Valenzuela, Kaylie (who preceded her in death), Noah, and Tommie Anderson; as well as her ten great-granchildren.
Fay was much loved by many, and will be deeply missed.
A funeral service was held on June 26, 2021, at Emmanuel Bible Church.
