John Anderson

John Martin Anderson, 91, of Fargo, ND, passed away Sunday, September 21, 2008. John was born in White Rock, SD, on November 29, 1916, to Josephine (Solberg) and Robert Anderson. John later attended Oak Grove High School in Fargo and embarked on a long and illustrious flying career immediately thereafter. John moved to Sycamore, IL, after high school and worked at the Turner Brass Company and spent the money he earned on flight instruction at St. Charles, IL. He obtained both his commercial and instructor ratings there. In 1939, he flew to NYC, NY where he took a flight test to qualify for the Royal Canadian Air Force. John did his basic training in Toronto and was later stationed at Picton, Ontario. He met and married a Canadian, Naida Drew in 1943, while in Ontario. Upon returning to the US, John continued his flight career as an instructor at the Palwaukee Airport near Chicago, IL. He went from there to Indianapolis teaching at the Roscoe Turner Flying School. After that, he went to Mansfield, OH, and then to Long Island, NY, to become a test pilot for the Grumman Corporation. It was at Grumman that he perfected his skills as an aerobatic pilot in various airplanes including the Hellcat and the Grumman amphibian. At the close of WWII, he remained on Long Island working as a Corporate Pilot for Wienberg and Corn. Around 1946, he was a private pilot for Branch Rickey and the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1947, he left Long Island and returned to Illinois, where he opened a flight school. This was a program funded by the VA for returning WWII veterans. He was an excellent teacher and when students obtained their private license they were told they could qualify for a commercial license if they had logged enough time. For a time he was also connected to an airport in Rockford, IL. John returned to Fargo in 1952, where he again taught flying. He later flew in the Dew Line in Canada and flew a DC3 on skis out of Churchill. Another Canadian venture was testing Harvard airplanes that were being sold to the Chinese government. In 1954, he was hired as a private pilot to Sir Charles McLean who operated a lodge at LacDesare, 120 miles NW of Ottawa, Ontario. He flew guests (to include Brook Claxton the Defense Minister of Canada) in and out of the wilderness in a Grumman Goose. John’s next assignment was as a private pilot for the Roper Corporation in Rockford, IL. He was responsible for purchasing aircraft for them and it was where he would become acquainted with Howard Hughes who was buying aircraft. John eventually moved back to Fargo and resumed his teaching. John had a true passion and love for flying and teaching. When John wasn’t stretching his “wings” he spent time helping to develop shopping centers to include the Kirkwood Mall in Bismarck, ND, and running his apartment building. John could always be found ready with a story about flying. John is survived by his son, Kevin, Minneapolis MN; daughter, Kirsten (Randy) Clouse; daughter, Dianna Schultz; daughter Lisa Anderson; and daughter Sharolyn (Justin) Langseth. Grandchildren include: Taag Ebert, Minneapolis, MN; Jenny Ebert, Minneapolis, MN; Catherine England, Buffalo, MN; Elizabeth Barke, Big Lake, MN; Dorothea Schultz, Elk River, MN; Jesse Anderson, Phoenix, AZ; Laura Gillen, Washington DC; and Ariana Anderson, Victoria Skjaret, Zoe Langseth, Logan Langseth, and Lennox Langseth, all of Elk River, MN. Great-Grandchildren include: Maria, Sophia, and Nolan Barke, Big Lake, MN, and Levi, Linnae, and Jacob England, Buffalo, MN. John is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Arlene Frank and Mildred Brandt; and brothers, William, Earl and Robert. Visitation: 6 to 8 pm, Tuesday, September 23, 2008, with a Prayer service at 7 pm at Hanson Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo, ND. Funeral: 2 pm, Wednesday, September 24, 2008, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fargo ND. Interment: Riverside Cemetery, Fargo ND.