Donald Anderson

Surrounded by his children and his wife of 57 years, Donald Carl Anderson, 82, of Ottawa and Bonita Springs, Fla., passed away peacefully at Pleasant View on Wednesday, Jan. 25, after a years-long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

A wake will be held on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 2-5pm at Ottawa Funeral Home with the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree in Attendance; mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, Jan. 30 at 11am at St. Columba Catholic Church with Rev. David Kipfer officiating, followed immediately by burial at St. Columba Cemetery with military honors.

Born September 5, 1934 in Keokuk, Ia. to Carl and Alice (Vint) Anderson, Don grew up in Peoria the youngest brother of siblings Jack, Shirley, and Gene, all deceased, and graduated from Spalding Institute . A veteran of the Air Force, he studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ultimately graduating from Bradley University with a degree in Economics .

A lifelong insurance man, Anderson proudly served the Ottawa community for nearly 50 years, first at Feehan McClellan Insurance before establishing Don C. Anderson Insurance Agency in 1985. He actively supported a variety of Ottawa organizations, serving as president of both the Marquette High School and St. Columba school boards and as a longstanding board member of First Federal Savings Bank; he was also a member of Kiwanis and the American Legion as well as a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

He enjoyed gardening and golf, was a devoted parishioner at St. Columba, had a crooner’s voice (“Danny Boy” and “Mairzy Doats” were particular favorites), and was a passionate student of early American history. A die-hard fan of Notre Dame football and the Chicago Cubs, he was thrilled to see his beloved Cubbies finally bring home the World Series.

Most of all, though, Don took immense pride in his role as a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and was forever delighting the grandkids and great-grandkids with his uncanny Donald Duck impression.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Dolores (Konvalinka) Anderson; five children, Scott, of Ottawa; Jennifer Czech (Stephen), of New Canaan, Conn. and Newport Beach, Calif.; Greg, of Bonita Springs, Fla.; Susan Roberts (Chris), of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; and John Patrick (J.P.), of Chicago; five grandchildren, Jennifer Summers (A.J.), Sydney Czech, and Aidan, Ben, and Grace Roberts; and two great-grandchildren, Ethan and Jack Summers. He joins his beloved grandson Mikey Czech, who has already passed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the St. Columba building renovation fund; Marquette Academy; or the Mikey Czech Foundation (mikeyczechfoundation.org).