Hazel Anderson

Hazel Johsrud Anderson, formerly of Neenah Wisconsin, died on Friday, September 18, 2026. She was 98 years old. She had recently moved to a nursing home, in the Minneapolis area, where her son Andy lives. Hazel was born in Clay Banks, Wisconsin, a small farming community near Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin, on June 28,1928, to Oscar  and Bertha Johsrud. She was born on a small farm in the area. Her father died of tuberculosis when she was 2. Her mother Bertha, who taught school in a small country school house, and had to do what she could to survive. With the help of her older brother Arnie and Connie, on the farm, they made it through the Depression and the war years. Arnie served with the Army in the Pacific. My mom and her friend Carol Parker, in their later years, wrote a book about these challenging years, entitled “Woman of Will, Servant of God”, which I would highly encourage you to read. 

Moving along…, in high school, she worked in the office in the cherry orchards, in Door county, and liked that kind of work. She went to Luther College, and got a degree in English. Then, she moved to Neenah and got a job at Kimberly Clark, as a secretary. She also learned to play the pipe organ, and played at Our Savior’s Luther church. It was there that she met her husband Elward, who graduated from St. Olaf College and worked for his father Orell Anderson, as a construction contractor in Neenah.

She was survived by her son Sam and Andy, their wives and three children each, and 6 grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at Westgor Funeral Home, 205 W Doty Ave, Neenah, WI on October 3, 2026.  Visitation begins at 1PM. Service at 2 pm and reception to follow. We hope to see you there.