Arden Anderson

Arden C. Anderson, 69, Wahpeton, ND passed away on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at Sanford Health, Fargo, ND. Funeral services will be on Saturday, May 26, at 1:00 PM at Bethel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton with Rev. Jule' Ballinger officiating. Visitation will be on Friday from 5 PM to 7 PM with a prayer service at 7 pm at Bethel Lutheran Church. There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Wahpeton. Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton.

Arden was born on September 3, 1942 in Veblen, SD to Rudolph and Edna (Berndt) Anderson. He was raised in Rutland, ND where he attended school and participated in baseball, football, and basketball. He graduated from Rutland High School in 1960. He then attended NDSCS where he played baseball and received an Associate Degree in Accounting and Business practice.

Arden was united in marriage to Marilyn Hoffman on May 2, 1964 at Wahpeton. They made their home in Wahpeton. He worked for Wahpeton National Bank as an auditor from 1962 until he became the Wahpeton City Auditor in December of 1968. While he was city auditor he was also clerk of the Wahpeton Park Board until 1995. He served on state committees related to his work and was selected as the ND City employee of the year in 1995 and ND finance officer of the year in 2000. He also was on the boards for the Wahpeton Community Development Corporation and the Economic Development Commission. Arden retired from the city auditor's position in 2003.

Throughout his career Arden participated in the legislative process and after he retired he was able to get more involved in the Democratic/NPL Party in District 25. He was appointed to the State House in 2003 and was elected to the State Senate in 2006.

Arden was also involved in the sports activities around the area. He was a founding member of the W-B Softball Association and served as an officer and played in the league also for many years, played on many state softball tournament championship teams, and was involved in the ND Amateur softball association. He was also known as an official around the area by being a baseball and softball umpire, high school football official, and a NDSCS sideline official. He was also known as an avid golfer and had five hole-in-ones over his career. He served in many capacities on the board for the Bois de Sioux Golf Club.

Arden was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church where he served on various committees. He also was a member of many organizations throughout the area from being a charter member of the Buffalo Club, being in many sportsman's clubs, committee member of the Bagg Bonanza Farm and Fort Abercrombie, and NDSCS Catbacker's Club where in 1997 Arden and Marilyn were named Wildcat Boosters of the Year and in 2011 Arden was inducted into the NDSCS Hall of Fame.

Even though Arden was involved in so many activities he still had time to enjoy hunting, fishing, gardening, and calligraphy which he was known to do for many people including his church. But, his main priority in life was his family which he loved the most.

Arden is survived by his wife, Marilyn; his children, Janet (Steve) Peterson, Davenport, IA, James (Lori) Anderson, Minneapolis, MN, Jodi (Tim) Bogenreif, Moorhead, MN; his grandchildren, Jon, Ryan (Kassie), and Kurt Peterson, Darien Bogenreif, Maxwell Anderson; his step-grandchildren, Jon (Nicole) Bogenreif and their children, Carlie, Reagan, Addison, and Brooklyn, Dan (Amber) Bogenreif and their children, Hunter and Owen, Tony (Brittany) Bogenreif, Joel (Fiancee` Emily Krueger) Bogenreif; his sisters, Sonja Christensen, Wahpeton, ND, Judie (Steve Grohs) Seavert, Rosholt, SD, and his brother, Jeffrey (Lee) Anderson, Champlin, MN.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his father and mother-in-law, Ralph and Lillian Hoffman, his brothers-in-law, Charles Christensen and Ronald Seavert.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the charity of your choice.