Myrtle Elizabeth Anderson, 98, Minot, died Wednesday, December 30, 2015 in a Minot Nursing Home.

Myrtle was born March 21, 1917 on the family farm near Powers Lake, North Dakota, the fifth of ten children to Martin and Emelia (Myre) Bjergaard. She grew up on the family farm near Powers Lake and attended schools in that area doing farm chores along with shocking grain, herding cattle and helping neighbors with spring work or house cleaning. In 1936, she took a job at St. Joseph's hospital in Minot, where she made many lifetime friends with other women. Later, she visited a sister, Esther Beaton and her family in Grand Forks and found employment at Kinney Shoes for several years.

During wartime, her parents often asked the girls to come home and help with harvest, hauling bundles for her family, along with many of their neighbors. Shortly thereafter, she and her sisters, Anna and Berneice opened a restaurant in Columbus, ND, where they had a brisk business for one year. Myrtle then moved to Minot, where she worked at the Victory Caf. She met Edward Anderson, who was home on leave from his military service. They were united in marriage on May 19, 1946 in Minot. They made their home in the Granville, where their three sons, David, Mark and Matthew were born. They moved to Towner for a short time and later to Berthold, while Myrtle found work in Minot at the Lutheran Home as an activity assistant. In addition, Myrtle and the three sons were custodians of Zion Lutheran and Sunday School building in Berthold. She and Ed were active with Youth activities and served the Church in their Sunday School and Vacation Bible School programs in both Granville and Berthold.

The family moved to Minot in 1969, where Ed continued his job with Westlie Motor Company and Myrtle worked at the Spinning Wheel in downtown Minot. Myrtle was a cancer survivor of 1998. Ed died on January 21, 2005. Myrtle sold her home in 2013 and moved into Edgewood Vista.

Myrtle was a longtime member of Bethany Lutheran Church, Minot and was active with the Church's Esther-Ruth Circle group and Quilting groups. She enjoyed crafts of all kinds, along with gardening, reading and traveling. She loved writing and receiving letters and photos from family and friends.

Her loving family includes , children, David (Penny) Anderson, Waseca, MN, Mark (Linda) Anderson, Battle Lake, MN & Matthew Anderson, Burlington, ND; grandchildren, Luke (Crystal), Jacob, Tyrel (Mary) and Crystal Anderson; great grandson, Aaron Anderson ; sisters in law, Betty Marek, Sioux Falls, SD, Mary Bjergaard, Flaxton, ND; brother in law, Herb Goebel, Burlington, ND a number of special nieces, nephews and cousins.

Myrtle was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 58 years; five brothers, Clarence, John, Melfred, Milton and Magnus; sisters, Esther Beaton, Anna Anderson, Berneice Benson and Beulah (Houston) Goebel.

Funeral service: Monday, January 4, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. in Bethany Lutheran Church, Minot
Interment : Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot
Visitation : Sunday, January 3rd from Noon-4:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials are preferred to Bethany Church Choir or Quilting Fund, ELCA World Hunger Fund or the Kogudus Prison Ministries.