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Elton M. Anderson
Loner rancher Elton M. Anderson, 75, died April 27 (1995) in Homer.
Anderson and his wife, Edna, built a home and ran a cattle and horse
operation on a grazing lease in the hills north of Homer long
there were
any neighbors nearby. Eventually they bought part of the
property--reported to be the state's first grazing
lease--but not before much of the surrounding land had been subdivided into
small parcels.
Though the nearness of neighbors sometimes put a crimp in his ranching
operation, Anderson
befriended the newcomers and touched their lives in ways he probably never knew.
Former
neighbor Adele Hiles, who moved several years ago to Arizona, kept in touch and
spoke to
him by phone the week before he died, another neighbor said. Hiles wrote a poem
for him,
which was printed on the back of the memorial service program. Homer troubadour
Hobo Jim
Varsos, another former neighbor, memorialized Anderson in song several years
ago.
After
Anderson's death, he wrote another song that was read at the memorial service.
Current
neighbor Chat Wise built the casket for Anderson, and another neighbor, Kiki
Abrahamson,
lined it.
Anderson made a lot of friends in his 35 years in Alaska. According to
his
family, Anderson spent countless hours helping and advising the young families
who settled
nearby, sharing his knowledge of farming and homesteading. In addition to
helping his
neighbors, Anderson helped start the Happy Valley Rodeo and provided stock for
several of
the events for many years. He raised cattle and horses there until his death,
but to
supplement the family income he spent many winters working in road and oil-field
construction. He accompanied the first Caterpillar train to the North Slope and
the
Beaufort Sea.
Anderson retired from construction work in 1984.
Source: Homer News, August 1995
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