Final Salute

Russell “Butch” William Anderson passed away Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, at his home in Colfax.

He was 79.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the chapel of Bruning Funeral Home, 109 N. Mill St., Colfax, with Rev. Lynn Nelson officiating. Butch will be laid to rest in the Colfax Cemetery.

He was born Oct. 12, 1938, in Garfield to George W. and Evelyn Syron Anderson. He lived in Potlatch until the third grade, and then the family moved to Colfax. He attended Hamilton Grade School and was a member of the Class of 1957 in Colfax.

Butch served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1957 to 1961. He was a Seabee in MCB (Mobile Construction Battalion) No. 9. He served one tour of duty in Okinawa, Japan, and two tours in Kodiak, Alaska.

Butch married Polly Parnell on Jan. 2, 1960, in Colfax. They just recently celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary together. They lived for 10 years in Rosalia, Wash., where Butch worked for the Washington State Department of Transportation, and later worked for the Feldman Bros. Tire Shop.

He also was a member of the Rosalia Volunteer Fire Department. They moved to Colfax in 1972 and farmed in the Onecho, Wash., area for 10 years before Butch went back to work for the transportation department, retiring from there several years later. He did custom bulldozer work and road-grader work for many years. He also worked during harvest driving truck for Mike Nelson. Butch worked countless hours during the construction of McDonald Park in Colfax.

He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed fishing in the Snake River and at Dworshak Reservoir. For many years, he and his family camped and fished in Idaho along Charley Creek. Snowmobiling in the Blue Mountains and Laird Park also were enjoyed by the family. One of his favorite parts about this was helping with the trail grooming. Another favorite pastime was having coffee with the “coffee crew” at Rosauers every morning.

Butch is survived by his wife, Polly, at home in Colfax; sons Ben (Charlotte) Anderson of West Richland, and Bill Anderson of Colfax; granddaughters Paige and Payton Anderson of West Richland; sister Sharon Morton of Star, Idaho; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Ev.

The family suggests memorial gifts in his memory go to McDonald Park, care of Bruning’s, P.O. Box 739, Colfax, WA 99111. Online guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com.

Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax is caring for the family.