Gary Richard Anderson's Obituary
Gary Richard Anderson, 81, passed away peacefully in his home in Pleasant Grove, Utah, on June 30, 2026.
He was born on February 11, 1945, in American Fork, Utah, to Warren T. Anderson and Zelda Larsen. From 1963 to 1966, Gary served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany, an experience that truly shaped the rest of his life. After returning home, he pursued his education at Brigham Young University. While still attending the university, he began working for Geneva Steel in Orem, Utah. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in January 1970.
On January 16, 1970, he married his beloved wife, Colleen Fullmer, who was from Springville, Utah. Gary and Colleen had four children, all girls, and together they had a truly wonderful life. On September 23, 2006, his wife passed away after a valiant battle with breast cancer. He has mourned her loss every day since.
Gary continued working at Geneva until the plant's closure in 1986. One of the most important tenets of his life was providing for his family. While working at Geneva, he diligently kept his teaching certificate current "just in case." Education was extremely important to him. This foresight to always provide for his family enabled him to immediately secure a teaching position at Pleasant Grove Junior High School. Gary secured the position as the German language teacher, as well as English, the two subjects he would teach until his retirement in 2011.
His missionary service in Germany sparked a lifelong passion for the country and its culture. The study of the German language became a central focus of his life, and his family feels immense pride for his profound dedication to this pursuit. His command of the language, rich vocabulary, and flawless pronunciation were aspects he never stopped refining and studying. He traveled to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland often throughout his life, always accompanied by his wife or one of their girls.
In 2004, Gary spent the summer in Vienna, Austria, furthering his language education and earning his Master's degree equivalency in the German language.
Outside of his dedication to education, Gary was an avid fisherman who simply loved fishing. He took his family on frequent fishing trips over the years and happily continued casting his line well into his retirement. In his later years, he also discovered the simple pleasures of browsing local yard sales, always enjoying the thrill of the hunt for the next treasure.
He is survived by his daughters, Collette Anderson, Melanie Christopherson (the late Lynn Christopherson), Kirstin Spencer (Chris), and Hilary Anderson (Justin Goodson); and his grandchildren, Ian Anders Cox, Monty Christopherson, Anna Christopherson, Leah Spencer, Allison Spencer, Victoria Spencer, and the late Samantha Spencer.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 12:00 pm at the Battle Creek 5th Ward LDS Chapel, located at 825 S Loader Drive in Pleasant Grove, Utah. A viewing will take place prior to the services in the same building beginning at 10:00 am. Interment will take place immediately following the funeral at the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.
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