Von Archibald Anderson was the eleventh child born to Lucinda Sanderson and John A Anderson. Von came into this world 22 Feb 1913. Though his body was crippled (cerebral palsy), his mind was sharp and keen, his disposition cheerful and pleasant. He was warm and friendly and brought much joy to others.
Von went to grade school in McKinnon, Wyoming, but didn't get to finish. He and younger brother, Bob, went to school together. When sister Eva's husband died in a coal mine explosion, Bob was sent to stay with her. This ended Von's school days but he became a self-educated man. He could not use his hands; his legs were twisted too, but he trained his feet and toes to do remarkable things.
In a back room of his folks' home, he had a little store where he sold Watkins Products, notions, and crafts that he had made. With his toes he could open up a pocket knife, twist those little clamps on a coin purse to make change, type and do all sorts of things. His determination knew no bounds. He could study plans, figure them out, put together machinery, etc. At one time he raised canaries. In his later years he did some beautiful oil painting.
In Salt Lake City Von was introduced to new and varied crafts; he had many interesting experiences. It was here he met his wife, Patricia Olean Larsen, when she came to the home to sing. Together they would roll their wheelchairs down the sidewalk to church. Considering their handicaps, they lived a pretty full life. Von was loved by family and many friends.
Von accomplished in this life what the Lord had planned for him. He gained a body, lived a righteous life, married his sweetheart in the temple and is now standing tall in his spirit body in the spirit world, continuing to progress. His example should cause all of us who knew him to stretch a little farther and reach a little higher in our endeavors through life.
By Helen Francom
In the spring of 1921 Von with the family left Fairview to make their home on a ranch in McKinnon, Wyoming for the thirty six years.
He got his first wheel chair when he was fourteen, before that he wore out a dozen rocking chairs pushing them backward in the house and out of doors, on his backside and geting [getting] slivers in his backside. He found his first wheel chair up over head in a born [barn], Traded twenty chicks to the Indians for it. It is an old steel chair, one of the first wheel chairs made and the most comfortable. He was offered a new chair for it.
He started a store in McKinnon in 1932 on five dollars and built it up over the years until he was competing with their neighborhood store in the way of gifts and most needed items for every one. He had to sell out in 1950 for half price to come to Salt Lake City. Their home burned with every thing in it one very early morning in 1942. Every one helped them build a new house. His Dad told him to design the house to suit himself.
His dear Mother and Father got too old to care for his brother and himself. They were in their eighties and nineties when his brother Owen and Von came to Salt Lake in 1950. His sister Jessie and her husband Crystal cared for the folks when he went into a rest home. Father passed away in June 1959, Mother in March 1961.
This is Von's life in three homes, the first a small one on a ranch with nothing to do, no one to talk with. The next a new log house, which house burned to the ground in 1942.
He tore carpet rags and sewed them for the church wefare to pass time, he did odd jobs around the house and for the neighbors. Owen kept us in cedar wood for the stoves, Milked cows and rounded up cattle in his younger years.
When Von came to Salt Lake, that is when his life really began to hum, Church and all kind of activities. He went to the Multiple center for six or seven years and made ceramics and may other things, then went on deminstrations all over the county, in schools, hospitals and Cotton Wood Mall, and Churches, making friends where ever he went, not thinking that he would ever get married, but three years ago a little angel came to his home that he knew belonged to him; soon they were married. He says, "We are the happiest couple in this world."
-History by Von Archibald Anderson
Von went to grade school in McKinnon, Wyoming, but didn't get to finish. He and younger brother, Bob, went to school together. When sister Eva's husband died in a coal mine explosion, Bob was sent to stay with her. This ended Von's school days but he became a self-educated man. He could not use his hands; his legs were twisted too, but he trained his feet and toes to do remarkable things.
In a back room of his folks' home, he had a little store where he sold Watkins Products, notions, and crafts that he had made. With his toes he could open up a pocket knife, twist those little clamps on a coin purse to make change, type and do all sorts of things. His determination knew no bounds. He could study plans, figure them out, put together machinery, etc. At one time he raised canaries. In his later years he did some beautiful oil painting.
In Salt Lake City Von was introduced to new and varied crafts; he had many interesting experiences. It was here he met his wife, Patricia Olean Larsen, when she came to the home to sing. Together they would roll their wheelchairs down the sidewalk to church. Considering their handicaps, they lived a pretty full life. Von was loved by family and many friends.
Von accomplished in this life what the Lord had planned for him. He gained a body, lived a righteous life, married his sweetheart in the temple and is now standing tall in his spirit body in the spirit world, continuing to progress. His example should cause all of us who knew him to stretch a little farther and reach a little higher in our endeavors through life.
By Helen Francom
In the spring of 1921 Von with the family left Fairview to make their home on a ranch in McKinnon, Wyoming for the thirty six years.
He got his first wheel chair when he was fourteen, before that he wore out a dozen rocking chairs pushing them backward in the house and out of doors, on his backside and geting [getting] slivers in his backside. He found his first wheel chair up over head in a born [barn], Traded twenty chicks to the Indians for it. It is an old steel chair, one of the first wheel chairs made and the most comfortable. He was offered a new chair for it.
He started a store in McKinnon in 1932 on five dollars and built it up over the years until he was competing with their neighborhood store in the way of gifts and most needed items for every one. He had to sell out in 1950 for half price to come to Salt Lake City. Their home burned with every thing in it one very early morning in 1942. Every one helped them build a new house. His Dad told him to design the house to suit himself.
His dear Mother and Father got too old to care for his brother and himself. They were in their eighties and nineties when his brother Owen and Von came to Salt Lake in 1950. His sister Jessie and her husband Crystal cared for the folks when he went into a rest home. Father passed away in June 1959, Mother in March 1961.
This is Von's life in three homes, the first a small one on a ranch with nothing to do, no one to talk with. The next a new log house, which house burned to the ground in 1942.
He tore carpet rags and sewed them for the church wefare to pass time, he did odd jobs around the house and for the neighbors. Owen kept us in cedar wood for the stoves, Milked cows and rounded up cattle in his younger years.
When Von came to Salt Lake, that is when his life really began to hum, Church and all kind of activities. He went to the Multiple center for six or seven years and made ceramics and may other things, then went on deminstrations all over the county, in schools, hospitals and Cotton Wood Mall, and Churches, making friends where ever he went, not thinking that he would ever get married, but three years ago a little angel came to his home that he knew belonged to him; soon they were married. He says, "We are the happiest couple in this world."
-History by Von Archibald Anderson
Von Archibald Anderson was the eleventh child born to Lucinda Sanderson and John A Anderson. Von came into this world 22 Feb 1913. Though his body was crippled (cerebral palsy), his mind was sharp and keen, his disposition cheerful and pleasant. He was warm and friendly and brought much joy to others.
Von went to grade school in McKinnon, Wyoming, but didn't get to finish. He and younger brother, Bob, went to school together. When sister Eva's husband died in a coal mine explosion, Bob was sent to stay with her. This ended Von's school days but he became a self-educated man. He could not use his hands; his legs were twisted too, but he trained his feet and toes to do remarkable things.
In a back room of his folks' home, he had a little store where he sold Watkins Products, notions, and crafts that he had made. With his toes he could open up a pocket knife, twist those little clamps on a coin purse to make change, type and do all sorts of things. His determination knew no bounds. He could study plans, figure them out, put together machinery, etc. At one time he raised canaries. In his later years he did some beautiful oil painting.
In Salt Lake City Von was introduced to new and varied crafts; he had many interesting experiences. It was here he met his wife, Patricia Olean Larsen, when she came to the home to sing. Together they would roll their wheelchairs down the sidewalk to church. Considering their handicaps, they lived a pretty full life. Von was loved by family and many friends.
Von accomplished in this life what the Lord had planned for him. He gained a body, lived a righteous life, married his sweetheart in the temple and is now standing tall in his spirit body in the spirit world, continuing to progress. His example should cause all of us who knew him to stretch a little farther and reach a little higher in our endeavors through life.
By Helen Francom
In the spring of 1921 Von with the family left Fairview to make their home on a ranch in McKinnon, Wyoming for the thirty six years.
He got his first wheel chair when he was fourteen, before that he wore out a dozen rocking chairs pushing them backward in the house and out of doors, on his backside and geting [getting] slivers in his backside. He found his first wheel chair up over head in a born [barn], Traded twenty chicks to the Indians for it. It is an old steel chair, one of the first wheel chairs made and the most comfortable. He was offered a new chair for it.
He started a store in McKinnon in 1932 on five dollars and built it up over the years until he was competing with their neighborhood store in the way of gifts and most needed items for every one. He had to sell out in 1950 for half price to come to Salt Lake City. Their home burned with every thing in it one very early morning in 1942. Every one helped them build a new house. His Dad told him to design the house to suit himself.
His dear Mother and Father got too old to care for his brother and himself. They were in their eighties and nineties when his brother Owen and Von came to Salt Lake in 1950. His sister Jessie and her husband Crystal cared for the folks when he went into a rest home. Father passed away in June 1959, Mother in March 1961.
This is Von's life in three homes, the first a small one on a ranch with nothing to do, no one to talk with. The next a new log house, which house burned to the ground in 1942.
He tore carpet rags and sewed them for the church wefare to pass time, he did odd jobs around the house and for the neighbors. Owen kept us in cedar wood for the stoves, Milked cows and rounded up cattle in his younger years.
When Von came to Salt Lake, that is when his life really began to hum, Church and all kind of activities. He went to the Multiple center for six or seven years and made ceramics and may other things, then went on deminstrations all over the county, in schools, hospitals and Cotton Wood Mall, and Churches, making friends where ever he went, not thinking that he would ever get married, but three years ago a little angel came to his home that he knew belonged to him; soon they were married. He says, "We are the happiest couple in this world."
-History by Von Archibald Anderson
Von went to grade school in McKinnon, Wyoming, but didn't get to finish. He and younger brother, Bob, went to school together. When sister Eva's husband died in a coal mine explosion, Bob was sent to stay with her. This ended Von's school days but he became a self-educated man. He could not use his hands; his legs were twisted too, but he trained his feet and toes to do remarkable things.
In a back room of his folks' home, he had a little store where he sold Watkins Products, notions, and crafts that he had made. With his toes he could open up a pocket knife, twist those little clamps on a coin purse to make change, type and do all sorts of things. His determination knew no bounds. He could study plans, figure them out, put together machinery, etc. At one time he raised canaries. In his later years he did some beautiful oil painting.
In Salt Lake City Von was introduced to new and varied crafts; he had many interesting experiences. It was here he met his wife, Patricia Olean Larsen, when she came to the home to sing. Together they would roll their wheelchairs down the sidewalk to church. Considering their handicaps, they lived a pretty full life. Von was loved by family and many friends.
Von accomplished in this life what the Lord had planned for him. He gained a body, lived a righteous life, married his sweetheart in the temple and is now standing tall in his spirit body in the spirit world, continuing to progress. His example should cause all of us who knew him to stretch a little farther and reach a little higher in our endeavors through life.
By Helen Francom
In the spring of 1921 Von with the family left Fairview to make their home on a ranch in McKinnon, Wyoming for the thirty six years.
He got his first wheel chair when he was fourteen, before that he wore out a dozen rocking chairs pushing them backward in the house and out of doors, on his backside and geting [getting] slivers in his backside. He found his first wheel chair up over head in a born [barn], Traded twenty chicks to the Indians for it. It is an old steel chair, one of the first wheel chairs made and the most comfortable. He was offered a new chair for it.
He started a store in McKinnon in 1932 on five dollars and built it up over the years until he was competing with their neighborhood store in the way of gifts and most needed items for every one. He had to sell out in 1950 for half price to come to Salt Lake City. Their home burned with every thing in it one very early morning in 1942. Every one helped them build a new house. His Dad told him to design the house to suit himself.
His dear Mother and Father got too old to care for his brother and himself. They were in their eighties and nineties when his brother Owen and Von came to Salt Lake in 1950. His sister Jessie and her husband Crystal cared for the folks when he went into a rest home. Father passed away in June 1959, Mother in March 1961.
This is Von's life in three homes, the first a small one on a ranch with nothing to do, no one to talk with. The next a new log house, which house burned to the ground in 1942.
He tore carpet rags and sewed them for the church wefare to pass time, he did odd jobs around the house and for the neighbors. Owen kept us in cedar wood for the stoves, Milked cows and rounded up cattle in his younger years.
When Von came to Salt Lake, that is when his life really began to hum, Church and all kind of activities. He went to the Multiple center for six or seven years and made ceramics and may other things, then went on deminstrations all over the county, in schools, hospitals and Cotton Wood Mall, and Churches, making friends where ever he went, not thinking that he would ever get married, but three years ago a little angel came to his home that he knew belonged to him; soon they were married. He says, "We are the happiest couple in this world."
-History by Von Archibald Anderson
Family Members
Siblings
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Ora Lucinda Anderson
1891–1893
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John Clifton Anderson
1894–1974
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William Calvin Anderson
1896–1900
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Buena May Anderson Tillotson
1898–1987
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Eva Allowee Anderson Brady
1900–1984
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Pvt David Lyle Anderson
1903–1974
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Owen Leslie Anderson
1905–1980
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Ethan Olaf Anderson
1907–1908
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Edwin Max Anderson
1909–1915
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Jessie Matilda Anderson Youngberg
1911–1979
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Robert Allen "Bob" Anderson
1915–2003
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