Barry Anderson

Barry "Butch" Anderson,62, formerly of Dell Rapids, South Dakota passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, March 4th at Tacoma General Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. At the time of his passing, Barry was bravely battling terminal brain cancer.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 4:00 PM Saturday, August 14, 2010 at Minnehaha Funeral Home Chapel in Dell Rapids.

Barry was born in Norfolk, Virginia on October 6, 1947 to Hazel Anderson-Hughes. When Barry was eight years old, his mother passed away in a tragic house fire and he and his sister Patricia moved back to Dell Rapids, South Dakota to live with Hazel’s older brother Philip and his wife Helen Anderson who adopted both children.

Barry graduated from Dell Rapids High School, where he was an outstanding student – athlete. Barry participated in football, basketball, track while in high school along with playing American Legion baseball in the summer. Barry displayed his many talents by playing the tuba in the high school band and also sang in the high school choir. While in high school, Barry was an active member of the Dell Rapids Lutheran church.

Barry took his football prowess to the next level and accepted an athletic scholarship to attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Barry played fullback on offense and middle linebacker on defense his freshmen year, along with serving as the team punter/place kicker.

After his football days were over, Barry moved to Tacoma, Washington where he worked in the construction trade for many years and later owned and operated his own drywall company called Bear’s Drywall. Later in his life Barry worked for the Bethel School District as a custodian – a job that he loved very much because of the many great people he met and worked with on a daily basis. For the past five years, Barry was confined to a wheel chair as a result of a work related injury. Barry loved watching ESPN (especially college basketball), loved the Seattle Seahawks and in his prime was an avid fisherman.

Barry’s first love was his family, especially his daughter, Tracey Lynn.
Survivors include his daughter, Tracey (Michael) Dawkins and grandson Seth of Tacoma, WA; his mother, Helen (Archie) Anderson Rackerby of Rough and Ready, CA; one brother, Cliff (Connie) Anderson, Graham, WA and three sisters, Patricia (Gene) Bertch, Gillette, WY; Phyllis (Vince) Schaefer, Wentworth, SD and Linda (Gary) Boyum, Hideaway, TX.

He is preceded in death by his biological mother, Hazel Anderson-Hughes and his loving father, Philip Anderson.