William Elmer Anderson

William “Bill” Elmer Anderson, age 76, passed away peacefully on July 26, 2023.  Bill was a brave fighter against throat cancer this year. He always had a positive attitude and mindset through all of the treatments. He successfully used radiation to battle throat cancer when he was in his 50s.  However, the resurgence of throat cancer was not effectively combatted despite his efforts with chemotherapy.  

Bill was born on January 24, 1947, in Minneapolis, MN to parents Elizabeth and Al Anderson.  Bill grew up in Edina, MN.  He graduated from St. Thomas Military Academy in 1965 and then went on to graduate from the University of Notre Dame in 1969 with a Masters in English. After college, he taught high school in the twin cities. He married his first wife, Mary Anne Elizabeth Guimont, in July of 1971. 

Bill worked in corporate sales at AT&T for over 20 years where he received several awards and recognition for sales performance. His successful career took them from Minneapolis, to Houston, to Cincinnati, and then settled in Bloomington, IL, where he was working for AT&T in partnership with State Farm Insurance.  After taking an early retirement from AT&T, he served in a similar role at Sprint for over 10 years, also in Bloomington, IL. At Sprint, he won numerous sales awards and was highly respected in the industry. Bill was very proud of his career achievements throughout the years.  In 2011, he retired and moved to Las Vegas with his wife Suzanne “Sue” Anderson. Bill’s brother, Dr. James A. Anderson, also retired in Las Vegas in 2011. Bill and Jim got to enjoy retirement together in sunny Las Vegas.

Bill deeply loved his family and consistently looked out for them over the years. He was the unwavering support line to offer advice or guidance.  He was our rock. He had one hell of a sense of humor, always cracking jokes at the right time, with a great laugh.

Bill was a passionate sports fan.  He had many favorite teams including the Bears, Vikings, Chiefs, Fighting Irish, Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Bulls, Jayhawks, and Golden Knights. He enjoyed spending time at the pool, reading, cooking with Sue, playing cards (gin and blackjack) to win, creating excel spreadsheets, checking things off his “to do” list, and occasional water aerobics. Bill had a big heart for his furry friends, owning several dogs and cats over the years. He and Sue spent many years traveling to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, their very special happy place. He enjoyed taking Spanish lessons and was excited to use the skills during the many travels.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 21 years Sue Anderson; three children, son Erik Anderson (wife Monica Anderson), daughter Jessica Anderson, and stepson Zachary Norris; two grandchildren, Skyler Anderson and Laken Anderson.  Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Anne Anderson, and his brother, Dr. James A. Anderson. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516; www.woundedwarriorproject.org or ProCare Hospice Foundation, 8025 Amigo Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89123; www.procarehospice.com.

Rest in peace Bill, we love you!