Herbert K. Anderson

Herbert Anderson

Herbert K. (Andy} Anderson beloved husband, father, and brother was born in Chicago, Illinois, at home because all the hospital beds were filled with soldiers returning from WWII. He passed away on January 14, 2023, in Renton, Washington at the age of 77.

The family moved from Chicago to Prospect Heights, IL in 1953, where he attended Prospect Heights Elementary School and later Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, IL. He joined the Air Force after high school graduation. He grew up as Herb becoming Andy (short for Anderson) in the Air Force.

After basic training at Lackland AFB,Texas, he attended tech school at Chanute AFB, IL, and then was stationed at Sewart AFB, TN; Chingchaungkang  AB, Taiwan, and finished his four years at McChord AFB, WA. He also had temporary duty assignments at Clark AB, Philippines; in Bangkok, Thailand; Tachikawa AB, Japan; and Na Trang AB, Viet Nam. While in the Air Force, he married his high school sweetheart, the love of his life, Faith Hudacek. They had three children, Anita, Alisa, and Kerry.

The hydraulic training he received in the Air Force was a springboard to his career as a hydraulic sales engineer:

He opened his own hydraulic systems manufacturing company, was a Manufacturers’ Representative for 15 companies, became Branch Manager of a hydraulic distributor and systems manufacturer, and established the new six-state Northwest Territory for a Swedish manufacturer of hydraulic drives. Andy loved designing hydraulic power systems specific to the customers’ needs. Over the years he worked with Aerospace, Agricultural, Gas & Oil, Governments, Heavy Construction, Marine (commercial marine vessels, dredges, tugboats, and winches), Mining, Pulp & Paper, a Ski Resort, and Tunnel Boring Machines.

In 1988, Andy became a King County Police Reserve Officer. In addition to the regular Reserve Officer duties, he was able to work with the Crime Prevention Unit communicating with citizens and small businesses, and with McGruff the Crime Dog, to teach children about safety. After serving as a reserve officer for sixteen years, he retired in 2004.

Andy loved to read, especially military history, and biographies. He loved a good joke, especially a good pun. He enjoyed a good discussion, from Bible studies with a Youth for Christ group in his teens to the small group Bible studies in his fifties. Music of all kinds made him happy, but his favorites were old church hymns, because he could remember all the words! He looked forward to singing in a choir and playing the trumpet in heaven.

He liked to go out to eat, but when he felt like cooking, he’d pour over his cookbooks (James Beard was a favorite), shop for ingredients and with a towel tucked into his waistband, spend the afternoon in the kitchen cooking. He also had a collection of restaurant menus. Cars, especially hot rods, car magazines and car shows were always a passion, however he just couldn’t warm up to electric vehicles. Andy even did some car racing at Spanaway Speedway.

Andy had a sense of adventure. He enjoyed seeing new places and meeting new people. For him, the journey was just as important as the destination.  With the car packed and pulling a tent trailer, off the family went, Andy driving up mountain logging roads and switchbacks and over rickety looking bridges, while his wife and three daughters shrieked and hung on for dear life; of course, they made it safely every time.

He enjoyed golf for its social aspect and exercise, and often traveled to surrounding courses for small club tournaments. Fly fishing, especially in mountain streams in Washington, Idaho, and Montana, gave him the peace and solitude of nature that rejuvenated him.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years Faith, daughters Anita (Michael) Boser, Alisa (Scott) Burger, and Kerry (Bryce) Moore; grandchildren Amanda (Bryce) Jacobson, Ryan (Megan) Boser, Jeff (Chloe) Boser, and Isaac Hagens; and great grandchildren Beau and Emil Jacobson, Aiden Hagens, and Ainsley Boser; and sisters Pat (Ken) Heifers and Suzanne Coll.

He was preceded in death by his brother Ronald Anderson; parents Herbert and Dorothy (Avery) Anderson; sister, Jacqueline Anderson; and brother-in-law John Coll.

Andy will be laid to rest on February 1, 2023, at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA, with a memorial service afterward at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Kent.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your chosen charity.