Patricia “Pat” Ann Anderson, 82, of Minden, passed away Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Bethany Home in Minden.
Pat was born March 17, 1944, in York, to William G. and Ruth (Abraham) Deremer. She grew up on a farm near Beaver Crossing, and attended District 38, Flowing Well School through the sixth grade before completing her education at Utica Public High School. Following graduation, Pat attended Kearney State Teachers College in Kearney, where she prepared for what would become her lifelong passion and career – teaching children.
On May 29, 1965, she married the love of her life, Roger Anderson. Together they were blessed with four children: Lisa, Craig, Joel, and Leah. Pat and Roger began their married life in Minden, before moving to Valley, where Pat began her teaching career. In 1979, the family moved to Malcolm, where she continued teaching as a Family and Consumer Sciences instructor. She retired from public education in 1993 and returned to Minden.
Even in retirement, Pat continued serving others through education and mentorship. In Minden, she worked with the Head Start program and served through the UNL Extension Office in Kearney as a WIC consultant, helping young mothers and leading several 4-H clubs. She officially retired from her formal teaching roles in 2006.
Pat was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church and played an instrumental role, alongside Roger, in opening the Crossroads Center and establishing the Prison and Jail Ministries. She deeply valued the life skills taught through 4-H and dedicated much of her retirement to teaching nutrition and sewing to children in the community.
Pat had a special love for sewing and generously passed those talents on to her grandchildren and many young friends she met through 4-H. She also enjoyed growing African violets and cared for her plants with great affection.
A lifelong learner, Pat delighted in sharing articles, recipes, and new ideas with her family. She especially treasured time spent with her grandchildren, always finding ways to teach and encourage them throughout the years. Sadly, dementia gradually took many of these passions from her over the last five years. In 2024, Pat and Roger moved to Bethany Home in Minden.
Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Roger Anderson; children: Lisa Clapper (Dennis) of Minden, Craig Anderson (Pam) of Lincoln, Joel Anderson (and friend Kim) of South Bend, and Leah tenBensel (Eric) of Cambridge; grandchildren, Erica Barela (Aaron) of Plymouth; Kaelyse Adler (Zach) of Kearney, Logan Anderson of Lincoln, Samantha Clapper (Skylar) of Seward, Caleb tenBensel of Broken Bow, Jocelyn Anderson (and friend Brogan) of Papillion, Brody Anderson of Omaha, and Megan tenBensel of Cambridge; great-grandchildren, Carter, Elijah, and Azariah of Kearney, and Sayla of Seward; brothers, Bill Deremer of Utica and Jim Deremer (Gloria) of Beaver Crossing; along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William G. and Ruth Deremer; daughter-in-law, Nancy Anderson; and sister-in-law, Judy Deremer.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 15, at First Baptist Church in Kearney with Pastor Sean Dougherty and Pastor Mark De Kluyver officiating. The service will be streamed to the church’s website. Inurnment will be conducted later that day at 2 p.m. at the Minden Cemetery. A memorial book signing with family present will be held from 4 – 6 p.m. Sunday, June 14, at Craig Funeral Home in Minden. Memorial contributions are suggested to the family for future designation.
Arrangements by Craig Funeral Home in Minden.
