Wayne L. Anderson

Wayne L. Anderson, age 77 of Litchfield, MN, formerly of Cosmos, passed away on Monday September 9, 2024 at the St. Cloud Hospital. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday September 14, 2024 at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield, MN. A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday September 13, 2024 at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral and Cremation Service in Litchfield, MN and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. The service will be livestreamed at www.johnsonhagglund.com.

Wayne Lee Anderson, the son of Donald and Irene (Wibstad) Anderson was born on July 31, 1947 in Alexandria, MN. He lived on a farm near Garfield, MN and Norseland before moving to Brooten in 1960. He graduated from Brooten High School in 1965. His basic training was at Ft Leonard Wood, MO, E-4-2, April-June 1966. He studied Arabic (Iraqi) at Presidio Of Monterey, DLIWC, July 1966 and had a voluntary drop December 1966. In 1967 he trained as Clerk-typist under TRAPP program Presidio of San Francisco 1967 and was the Clerk at Special Services in 1977. He served with the 258th and 172nd Transportation Detachments (Movement Control) Thailand; HQ & HQ Company, 6th Army HQ, Presidio of San Francisco, CA; DLIWC, Presidio of Monterey, CA; Basic E-4-2, Ft Leonard Wood, MO. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. In November of 1967, he was transferred to Thailand and had orders changed on arrival to become 71N20 where he was the Transportation Movement Control Specialist with 172nd Transportation Detachment, monitoring Project 972/Igloo White convoys and Blue Star shipments, eventually with the 25th Transportation Detachment, a 5 man unit. He then became NCOIC of the 258th in 1969 and was stationed at Camp Friendship in Korat, Thailand from November 67 to January 1969; and Camp Samae San, Sattahip, Thailand from January 1969 - November 1969. He got a 150 day early out on return to the USA in November 1969. 

Following his Army service, he attended vocational school, studying small engine repair. He was united in marriage to Joyce Wagner on July 23, 1971 in Brooten, MN. They were blessed with seven children Jennifer, Melissa, Angela, Amanda, Bryan, Christine and Sarah. They lived in Brooten, Belgrade, Cosmos and presently in Litchfield. Wayne worked at Jennie-O Foods, Toro, Central Contractors Supply, Brutanza in Brooten, MN, Swenson Motors, Big A Motors and for the DNR. Wayne was a member of the Belgrade Jaycees, the Cosmos and Litchfield American Legion and was active in the county elections. He enjoyed motorcycles, snowmobiling, rebuilding computers and researching the genealogy of his family tree.

He is survived by his wife Joyce of 53 years of marriage; children Jenny (Gregg Schilling) Anderson, Melissa (Jon) Rosene, Amanda (Nicholas) Dostal, Bryan (Rosie) Anderson, Christine (Reuben III) Miller and Sarah Anderson; grandchildren Mason Schilling, Alison Schilling, Samuel Dostal, Philip Rosene, Jessica Miller, Reuben Miller IV, and Luna Anderson; brothers Robert Anderson and Dennis Anderson.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents Donald and Irene Anderson; father and mother-in-law Bernard and Viola Wagner; daughter Angela in 2022; and aunts, uncles and cousins.