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Stuart Lee Anderson

Posted 2022-02-21 by mhenderson
Published by The Miner on Feb. 19, 2022 -
Lake Havasu City, Arizona -

Stuart (Stu) Lee Anderson passed on Feb. 3, 2022, at the age of 81. He
is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Carol S. Anderson; his
three children, Becky A. Hill, Margie Joy (Leif) and J.D. Anderson
(Rachel); his five grandchildren, Ellen Hill, Isabella Anderson, Addie
Joy, Charlie Anderson and Mason Anderson; his two sisters Marcia L.
Wheat (Ron) and Tammy S. Ogilvie (David); a large extended family and
countless friends.

Stu was born Aug. 3, 1940, in Tucson, Arizona to H. Lynn Anderson and
Marjorie (McKinney) Anderson. His early childhood was spent on numerous
cattle ranches throughout Arizona, which his father managed for Western
Farm Management. His first years of schooling were in a one-room
schoolhouse on Eagle Creek near Clifton, Arizona. He spent his formative
years on his family’s farm in the western Phoenix Valley, where he
learned to grow a multitude of crops and spent summers working at the
Willows Ranch, east of Kingman, Arizona. It was while tending crops and
livestock that Stu developed a love for the land.

He attended Agua Fria Union High School, graduating in 1958, and then
attended the University of Arizona (UofA), graduating in 1963 with a
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and two minors: Animal
Science and Agricultural Engineering. While at the UofA, Stu enrolled in
the Air Force ROTC and was commissioned into the armed services upon
graduation.

Stu served his country in the United States Air Force from 1963 through
1968. Stu was stationed in Austin at the time of the Kennedy
assassination, and in 1964-1965, had the honor to be on a Special
Assignment as the Officer in Charge of the Presidential Transportation
Affairs for President, Lyndon B. Johnson. His next duty assignment took
him to Germany. Stu achieved the rank of Captain at the time of his
honorable discharge.

Following his career with the Air Force, he resumed his career as a
rancher at the Willows Ranch. He managed the Willows Ranch for over 30
years, where he developed 500 acres of rangeland into irrigated
pastures, and executed a rest rotational grazing system that allowed
Willow Creek to revegetate into the lush stream it currently is, and
improved the cattle herd genetics. After Stu “retired” from ranching, he
worked in construction and was the “go-to-guy” for projects because Stu
was known for doing a job well. After he fully retired, he became even
more active in community service and poured his heart and energy into
his second family, the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club.

Stu maintained a strong commitment to community service and was
genuinely the happiest when he was serving others. He was an active
member of the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club, the Kingsmen, the Kingman
Elks Club and the Kingman Masonic Lodge. He held memberships and offices
with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Arizona Cattlemen’s
Association, Mohave Livestock Association, Mohave Livestock Marketing
Association, the Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Town Hall,
Project CENTRL, Mohave Utilities Commission, Boys & Girls Club of
Kingman and more.

He received a congressional appointment to the Phoenix District Bureau
of Land Management Advisory Council and received gubernatorial
appointments to serve on the Arizona Beef Council and the Arizona
Riparian Advisory Committee. He had other political appointments as he
served on the Mohave County Extension Advisory Committee by appointment
of the Mohave County Board and Supervisors and was on NAFTA Trade
Corridor Committee by appointment of the City of Kingman Mayor and City
Council. Stu was elected to the Mohave County Community College Board of
Governors and served on this board for over 22 years, being re-elected
multiple times.

His biggest source of pride was his family. He always encouraged his
children and grandchildren to pursue their dreams and education, and
accepted nothing less from them but to give their absolute best effort
in everything they did. Hard work, discipline, perseverance and
integrity are ingrained family values.

Stu received many awards and honors. He was a Boy Scout of America and
an Eagle Scout. Other awards include the University of Arizona Lifetime
Achievement Award, Founders Award from Mohave County Community College
(MCC), The Paul Harris Fellow Award by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary
International, Distinguished Service Citation from Rotary International,
Rotary Hero from Rotary District No. 5495, FFA State Farmer Degree,
Outstanding Service Award from Arizona Society for Range Management,
Elder Statesman Award of Route 66 Rotary, and the naming of the Stuart
L. and Carol Anderson Student Services Building at MCC, as well as
others.

In the spirit of Stu’s love for education and service, the family is
asking instead of flowers, please donate to either: Route 66 Rotary
Club, P.O. Box 166, Kingman, AZ 86402; or University of Arizona
Foundation With H. Lynn and Marjorie M. Anderson Family Scholarship Fund
written in the memo line. Mail to: Development and Alumni Forbes 325,
P.O. Box 210036, Tucson, AZ 85721-0036

To honor Stu’s love of the outdoors, a Celebration of Life Service is to
be held Sunday, May 29, 2022, at 2 p.m., in Kingman, Arizona, at
Hualapai Mountain Park, Recreation Area No. 1.





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