Anderson Family Funeral Homes

Andrew was born to Robert and Lillian Anderson in Havre, Montana on March 20, 1946. He was raised on the family farm at Augusta, Montana and attended Augusta grade school and high school. He enrolled at the Helena Vo-tech where he took a two year course in diesel mechanics. In 1967, he finished the mechanics school, married Karleen Hammer from Lincoln, Montana, in May and left for the Army in August when he got the call from Uncle Sam. Andrew was medically discharged from the Army in 1968 with kidney disease.Andrew began working in Great Falls as a truck driver while his wife, Karleen, finished nursing school at the new Deaconess Hospital (now Benefis). Daughter Karla Kay was born in Great Falls in 1969 followed by Lisa Marie in 1972. In 1975, Andrew couldn’t resist the call to return to Augusta to join his family in farming and ranching. His little family of 2 girls soon became 3 when Lana Lee was born in 1977.  In 1986, Uncle Sam called on him again with a final offer for a Gl bill education and he returned to Helena to attend the Vo-tech once again for auto mechanics.When he finished schooling he began employment with the GSA motor pool of the Federal Government. He worked there until 1997 when he had to take a medical retirement and began dialysis treatments for kidney failure. In 2000, he received a kidney transplant that lasted for 10 years. After that he returned to home hemodialysis up until his death. While on dialysis, Andy continued with his love for farming and mechanics on his little farm in the Helena valley where he spent many hours fixing and welding on farm machinery—his own and the neighbors.Andy was very talented with his gifts for mechanics, carpentry, welding, plumbing and electrical work, but his best gift was his family with 51 years of marriage to wife, Karleen, 3 beautiful daughters and 11 special grandchildren that he loved dearly. Andy was a rough, tough cowboy type but with many years of failing health, he became a very kind and gentle pers...