Leslie "Andy" Franklin Anderson

Harris, Iowa

     Leslie “Andy” Anderson Jr. age 85 of Mount Dora, FL died on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at the Waterman Village in Mount Dora, FL.

     Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 6, 2022, at the United Methodist Church in Harris, IA, with Pastor Vicki Fisher officiating.

     Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery of Harris, IA, with military honors by the Wood-Miller American Legion Post No. 326 of Ocheyedan, IA.

     Visitation will be Thursday, May 5th, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home in Sibley, IA.

   Leslie Franklin Anderson Jr. (Nickname "Andy") was born March 15th, 1937, in Aberdeen Washington. He was the only child of Leslie Franklin Anderson Sr. and Genevieve Alf. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson Vocational High School in New York City. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, served 8 years and 9 months from February 1956 —November 1964. He received basic training at Lackland Air Force Base Texas, then completed aircraft & engine tech school at Sheppard Air Force Base Texas. He served in the 59th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Kindley Air Force Base in Bermuda as a line mechanic and volunteered as a scanner/flight observer on hurricane flights.

   He also served temporary duty out of Bermuda and West Palm Beach Air Force Base Florida. Checking weather data phenomenon from around the world while landing and refueling in Germany, Italy, England, France, India, Japan, Libya, and Ramie Air Force Base in Puerto Rico.

     He served NASA from the Ascension Islands in the Atlantic for Nose Cone recoveries. He then served at Strategic Air Command Transit Alert Squadron Offutt Air Force Base Nebraska, perform aircraft parking, servicing, and repairing transit aircraft.

     He was then transferred to the Refueling Squadron at Otis Air force Base Massachusetts, as Assistant Section Chief in repair of landing gear and control surface repair.

     While in the Air Force, Andy was trained and qualified to work on just about anything that flew. Keep in mind these were scary times. Andy served his country just after the Korean War, during the highest point of the Cold War "The Cuban Missile Crises", and while The Vietnam war was just under way. Nuclear threat from the Soviet Union was very high, and in October 1962 was the closest we ever came to World War III. Andy played a BIG part in keeping American and Allied Aircraft in the air during these times.

     Aircraft Andy serviced included: Jet Trainer Aircraft T-33, T-38, and T39, Reconnaissance and Tactical Bombers B-47, B-52, B-57, and B-58,

Supersonic Fighters, Fighter/Bombers, and Interceptors, F-100, F-102, F-104, F105, and F106, Helicopters, and foreign transit aircraft including British Victor, Valiant, and Vulcan bombers.

     Maintenance work performed on these aircraft included servicing, engine repair, air frame repair and aircraft parking.

     Excitement was prevailed at the various air bases Andy was stationed, especially the Strategic Air Command near Omaha. Offutt Air Force Base was in charge of bomber deployment missiles, and Strategic Air Command - Air Refueling. The base was frequently "On Transit Alert". Occasionally private planes were allowed to land, and Andy was able to talk with, and service planes for prominent people including John F. Kennedy, then senator prior to his election as President. Presidents Truman and Eisenhower also arrived at Strategic Air Command while he served as part of the ground crew.

     Leslie met his wife Dorothy while stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha Nebraska. They were married at Dorothy's hometown church in Harris Iowa on 12-28-1961. Andy always talks about how cold it was that day, -28 degrees below zero. Shortly thereafter, Andy was transferred to Otis Air Force Base Massachusetts, where their oldest son, Christopher, was born. There youngest son, Robert, was born on 12-10-1966.

   While stationed at Otis Air Force Base, Andy liked to tell the following story about son, Chris: During the time prior to Chris' birth, Dorothy was working as a secretary at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

Before Chris was born, the institute had built and was getting ready to launch "ALVIN" a deep-sea research submarine. Dates were changed on the launch, and Andy wondered who would be launched first, Chris' birth, or "ALVIN". We11....Andy & Dorothy both attended the "ALVIN" launch, two days prior the birth of Chris.

     In 1964 Andy left the Air Force with an Honorable Discharge and the rank (A IC) Airman 1 st Class. Upon discharge from the Air Force, Andy worked for the Sioux City Journal 7 years, then transferred to the Dallas Times Herald and worked 19 years until the Times Herald went out of business. He then worked for 12 years at PetsMart as Assistant Livestock Manager. Andy & Dorothy lived in the Dallas area for 33 years where they raised their family and had a good life. Upon retirement, they moved to Sioux Falls to be closer to their youngest son and family, and to be closer to Dorothy's parents still living on the farm.

   During their retirement in Sioux Falls, they kept busy volunteering to visit elderly hospice patients, and worked part time for Comfortkeepers, performing tasks for the elderly so they could continue to live in their own homes. They were also active in their church. Andy's hobbies included oil painting, stamp and coin collecting. He also enjoyed designing and building bird houses, bird feeders, and, of course, airplanes.

     Leslie is survived by his 2 sons, 2 grandchildren, 5 Great grandchildren, and 1 Great-great grandchild that will be born later this summer; and other extended family.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Dorothy.