Lillie Beth Ann Anderson, daughter of Alvin Clarence and Lillie Elmena "Gustafson" Anderson was born November 21, 1938 in Clarinda, Iowa. Beth Ann passed away on November 1, 2014 at Elm Heights Care Center in Shenandoah, Iowa at the age of 75 years, 11 months and 20 days.

Beth Ann was the seventh and youngest of five brothers and one sister. She grew up on a farm near the Norwich area where her father farmed and worked at the Iowa State Conservation Farm located on Highway 2. Her mother was a very hard working woman who cared for the family. Beth Ann was diagnosed with a mild mental condition at the age of six, which was caused by very severe fever and sickness as a baby. She attended country school for a short time and remained at home following that where she was cared for and taught by her family.

She lived a remarkable life and outlived predictions of her life span by many doctors. She did not let her handicap affect her style of living. She was able to learn and had a very good memory. Beth Ann could talk and carry on a conversation with anyone. She always wanted to help someone else and helped care for her mother when the two lived together after leaving the farm and moving to Clarinda, Iowa. She would do errands for her mother, such as hanging clothes on the line, helping cook and bake, doing general household duties and walking downtown to get medicine. She attended church with her mother, went to coffees and parties, visited with the neighbors and always looked forward to visits from her brothers and sister and their families. She loved all of her nieces and nephews who called her "Auntie Beth". She was called this so often that at times when asked her name, she would answer Auntie Beth Anderson!

Beth Ann was able to visit several of her siblings and many such visits were by ways of transportation she had never experienced before, but being the good trooper that she was she enjoyed them all. She had her first passenger train ride in 1962 when she and her mother traveled from Clarinda, IA to Osceola AFB, WI to visit her sister, Donna and husband, Bill. Then in 1988 she had her first airplane ride to Denver, CO to visit her niece, Debbie and her new great nephew, Brent. She was able to visit many times with her brother, Richard and family in Sibley, IA where she spent 2 to 3 weeks every summer. Beth Ann also visited her brother, Howard and family at U.S. Air Force bases in Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma. She always looked forward to her brother, Marvin's visits. He always brought her something new which made her feel very special. She visited her brother, Irvin in Boone, IA., and her sister, Donna and husband in Osakis, MN, where she had her first experience at boat riding and fishing. During the winter of 1975 she and her mother stayed in Houston, TX with her sister, Donna and family while her mother recuperated from an illness. Beth Ann enjoyed going to visit and stay with her niece, Debbie and being able to go to her nephew, Mike's home for special holidays. She enjoyed going places and seeing new things but Clarinda was home to her and she always looked forward to brother, Clark and family stopping by.

Special memories of Beth Ann are so precious to the family. She was included in all the family gatherings, reunions and weddings. Christmas and her birthday was Beth Ann's favorite time so those days were always made special for her. Some of her own memories were not so pleasant for her but to the others in the family they are remembered with smiles and laughter. Her first ferris wheel ride and going through the magnetized lop- sided house at an amusement park were two such occasions.

After her mother passed away Beth Ann lived at Garden View Care Center for a short while and then with her sister Donna and husband Bill in Shenandoah. In 1984 Beth Ann moved to the Page County Home in Clarinda, Iowa until returning to her sister's home in Shenandoah in September 2001. She began working at Nishna Productions Workshop in Shenandoah where she made many friends and loved going to work every day. She became ill in 2004 and entered Garden View Care Center, and later in July 2012 she moved to Elm Heights Care Center where she lived until she passed away. Beth Ann accepted changes and adapted well to them. She never complained. She was always happy, always smiling, always making new friends and always wanting to help others.

Some of her interest and hobbies were going for rides, shopping at Walmart, watching television, putting puzzles together, playing bingo, looking at movie, television and country music magazines, listening to music, especially her favorite country music and going to parties and visiting with her friends. When going out for the day with family Beth always enjoyed going to her favorite place to eat, McDonalds, and then stopping for an ice cream cone at the Dairy Queen. She was always ready to go back to her home though and when arriving back to the care center, she would always say, "Home Sweet Home".

Beth Ann was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Irvin, Howard, Marvin and Clark, loving sister-in-law, Myrna Anderson, brother-in-law and best friend Bill Rulon, baby niece, Melissa Francis Anderson and nephew, Tod Eugene Anderson,

Those left to cherish her memory include her brother, Richard Anderson and wife Gene Ann of Sibley, IA, sister Donna Rulon of Shenandoah, 13 nieces and nephews, 22 great nieces and nephews, 2 great-great nieces and 1 great-great nephew, other relatives and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.

Burial will be held at Essex Cemetery in Essex.