Mary Ellen Anderson

Mary Ellen (Golden) Anderson, 92, of Berthoud, CO, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 16, 2023, from colon cancer. Mary was born in Thayer County, Nebraska on December 20, 1930 to Willie Leon and Vella Mae (Seaman) Golden. Her parents and all eight of her siblings predeceased her, as did her husband, George Raymond (Andy) Anderson. She is survived by her oldest daughter, Shari Anderson, who lives in Texas, along with Shari’s two daughters, Kelly (Adam) Corn, and Katy Kilman (Jon Green), and their families, including 6 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her youngest daughter, Terry (Bart) Mayes, who resides near Berthoud. Mary grew up in a time of outhouses and no running water, but always reflected on her childhood as a happy time. With only a high school education, she went on to employment with the phone company, working her way up from an entry level position to office manager, one of only two women working in that position at that time. She truly broke the glass ceiling for the women who followed behind her. Much of the secret to her success was her patient and fair approach to all difficult situations. Mary retired from the telephone company in 1987, after nearly 30 years of employment. In addition to her career, Mary raised her two daughters, supported her husband in his career and avocational interests, maintained a tidy and welcoming home, hosted many parties where her culinary skills were in evidence, and turned virgin landscapes in two homes into lovely gardens. Mary enjoyed traveling with her husband and their many friends. Her interests extended in many different directions, including several types of needlework. After the passing of her husband in 2009, Mary became very actively involved with the Highlands Baptist Church in Littleton. After moving to Berthoud, she found her Christian home at Gateway Baptist Church in Loveland. All of the above facts don’t begin to capture the remarkable woman that she was. She was slow to anger, and generous, kind and compassionate with everyone she met. She was a strong, but gentle woman, who loved everyone and sought to bring comfort wherever it was needed. She shared her love of Jesus Christ with all, and truly lived the Golden rule. Mary’s celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at Gateway Baptist Church, 325 South Taft Avenue, Loveland, Colorado. Memorial donations may be made in Mary’s name to Holly’s Legacy Fund at Flint Animal Cancer Center, in Ft. Collins (https://advancing.colostate.edu/HOLLYSLEGACY) or Gateway Baptist Church, Loveland Colorado (https://www.gbcloveland.org).