Promotion

On Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 9:49pm, my brother, ALBERT EARL ANDERSON, was promoted to heaven.

He was born March 13, 1949 in Spokane, Washington and spent his formative years in Rosalia, Washington. The family moved to the Columbia Basin in 1964 and Albert graduated from Warden High School in 1967, serving as President of his senior class. He instigated the first “sit down” strike at Warden High. I cannot remember the details, but I am sure some of you out there do.

One of his favorite activities was flying. He spent four years in the Air Force, flying F-4’s out of Alconbury AFB in England. He resigned his Air Force commission and returned home to manage Columbia Producers, a grain, seed & farming business in Warden. Illness forced him to quit his job of over 15 years at the Port of Moses Lake. He loved having a window that overlooked the tarmac and took many pictures from that window showing the variety of aircraft that visited Moses Lake.

Albert graduated from Washington State University in 1971 with a Communications degree, then received his Master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the mid-1990s.

He was many things to many people – brother, friend, dad, mentor, benefactor, hard-worker, funny and fun-loving. He was always interested in children and loved playing practical jokes and telling funny stories.

A man of diverse interests, he loved Jeeps, doing the Rubicon Trail (a grueling Jeep course in northern California) flying airplanes, photography, geocaching, camping, all outdoor activities, HAM radio, and of course a die-hard Cougar fan. But most of all he was a friend. I will always cherish our time together these last couple of years as he fought a valiant battle against Mesothelioma – a nasty, and most often fatal, cancer. We had fun, we laughed, we cried. He helped me with my computer. He was always willing to help me with a camera purchase or a new part for my laptop.

While many of us left here on earth will miss your smile, your giving spirit and your kind word, we are all immensely happy that you are now free from pain. You were one of a kind, dear brother. I will always love you. Fly with the Angels, Albert. Congratulations on your promotion!