Our precious mom went "home" on Jan. 26, 2022, just three days before her 85th birthday. Shirley Marie Anderson was born on Jan. 29, 1937 to Barney Diamond and Agnes (Milanowski) Diamond, in Seattle, Washington.
She grew up in Pe Ell and during her school years, she worked at the family store owned by her grandparents Joe and Stella Milanowski. She always shared stories of making milkshakes and how she dreaded seeing a school bus pull up.
In third grade, mom met the love of her life, Eddie Anderson. They graduated in 1955 and were married in 1958. After living in Seattle for a few years, they returned to Pe Ell with their son, Ronald. Then they had a daughter Linda and later a daughter Stacy. In 1971 the family moved to Lebam. We were blessed to have mom at home with us everyday.
Mom was a lifelong Catholic. She shared her faith with everyone and her daily prayer list was over 100 people. She never forgot anyone. She taught religious education, was a Eucharistic minister, member of Altar Society and took communion to the sick at Holy Family Parish in Frances. She also volunteered as a reading tutor for the Willapa Valley Elementary School. Her greatest testament to the Lord was when our dad passed in 2004. Our Mom, by the grace of God, showed us all faith, strength and courage during her mourning, which left us all in awe (and made us all smile when she drove dad's Dodge truck.) She was a quiet angel, moving mountains through prayer and making her part of the world more loving and kind everyday of her life.
Mom was preceded in death by her husband Ed Anderson, son Ronald Anderson, grandparents Joe and Stella Milanowski, mother Agnes Diamond, father Barney Diamond, special uncle and aunt Tony and Jennie Milanowski, and a special cousin Sandra Gudyka.
She is survived by her daughters Linda (Shawn) Spears and Stacy (John) Kaech; grandsons Johnathan and Nickolas Kaech; and many special cousins and friends.
We wanted mom to have a beautiful funeral mass, but she was very specific that because of COVID, to keep everyone safe, she only wanted a graveside service, so we will celebrate mom on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Third Street in Pe Ell,Washington.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Joseph at Holy Family Parish, c/o St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 1112 Blake St., Raymond, Washington, 98577. If you aren't able to be with us, we ask that you say a prayer for Mom at 1 p.m. She would like that.
