William Anderson

WILLIAM H. "BILL" ANDERSON

Cedar Rapids

William H. "Bill" Anderson, 77, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, at Northbrook Manor Care Center after a battle with cancer.

Memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24, at St. Jude Catholic Church, officiated by the Rev. Mark Reasoner. Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, with a vigil service beginning at 2 p.m.

Bill was born March 8, 1939, in Blair, Wis., to Ivan and Agnes (Rosett) Anderson. He was united in marriage to Akuei "Shirley" Lee on Sept. 4, 1971, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. To this union, three children were born.

Bill worked for most of his life as an electrical engineer, and had the privilege of traveling the world throughout his life. He crossed the Pacific Ocean 27 times. He was extremely adventurous, even skydiving in his 60s. He loved to learn and watch documentaries, especially programs about history or nature. He was a tinkerer who believed that anything could be fixed and never should be thrown away.

Bill was extremely kind, and, even through his illness, he never complained and always was smiling. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. His family will always keep his memory in their hearts.

He is survived by his daughters, Teresa (Jay) Franklin of North Liberty and Tania Anderson of Cedar Rapids; four grandchildren, Jessica (Zachary) Bradford of Thief River Falls, Minn., Isabella Anderson of Cedar Rapids and Austin and Braden Franklin of North Liberty; and sister, Helen Johansen of Watertown, Wis.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Shirley, in 2009; son, Mark Anderson, in June of 2016; and brother, Roger Anderson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bill's name may be made to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association or Hospice of Mercy.

Online condolences may be conveyed at www.cedarmemorial.com.