Ellen M. (Finnes) Anderson

Ellen Marie (Finnes) Anderson, 91, of Cambridge, peacefully passed away peacefully on Monday, January 23, 2023, following a brief illness, at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.

Ellen was born on July 27, 1931 in Granite Falls, MN to Obert and Ella (Seim) Finnes. She was baptized and confirmed at Rock Valle Lutheran Church in Echo, MN. Her first years in school were in the one-room country school, which was built on her great grandparents’ family farm outside of Granite Falls. The farm is still in the family to this day. In high school, she played on the half-court girls’ high school basketball team. Ellen graduated from Granite Falls High School in 1948. Following high school, she worked as Social Editor at the Granite Falls Tribune newspaper.

On May 7, 1955, she married Daniel Anderson at the Rock Valle Lutheran Church. After their marriage, they briefly lived in Montevideo before moving to St. Cloud for Dan’s work. In 1958, they moved to their home in Cambridge where they raised their four children. The family immediately joined Cambridge Lutheran Church where they would become active members for these 64 years. Amongst other things, she was a member of the Lutheran Church Women’s group, taught confirmation and took pictures of the church and activities for the church directory. Dan and Ellen enjoyed decades of fun in the church Couples Club. They also enjoyed various travels around the world with friends, most memorably their trips to Israel and Norway.

Throughout her younger adult years, she enjoyed bowling, and playing softball and volleyball. For 60 years, she gathered with a group of friends for weekly coffee parties, as well as other groups would meet for weekly coffee. Every Friday, Dan and Ellen would go out to dinner with friends and then play dominos and cards. Ellen had a passion for photography and filming home movies. She also loved spending time at her parents’ farm with her family.

Ellen was a full-time mother until all of her children were in school. She then began working at The Scotsman paper and later at ECM Publishers. She loved to work, especially because it allowed her to spoil her grandchildren even more.  She reluctantly retired from ECM in 2010 due to transverse myelitis, something that left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair for the remainder of her life. Although it was difficult at first for her and the family, she never complained and she gracefully never let it stop her.

Dan and Ellen were married for 67 years and their family was their biggest joy. Ellen was an amazing wife and mother, but her grandchildren and great grandchildren were the love of her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents Obert and Ella; brothers and sisters-in-law James and Sandy Finnes, Burton and Delores Finnes and brother-in-law Sherman Dodd Anderson.

Ellen is survived by her husband Dan of Cambridge; children Tim (Jody) Anderson of Cambridge, Peter (Judy) Anderson of Keene, ND, Kari (David) Fast of Grand Rapids, MI, and Matthew (Penny) Anderson of Des Moines, WA; grandchildren Nik Anderson, Angie (Matt) Houle, Jeremy (Amber) Anderson, Liz (Mackenzie Young) Fast, David Fast, Katie (Jake) Anderson, Kathleen Fast, Cam Anderson and Lily Anderson; great-grandchildren Noah, Blake, Chloe, Taylor, Ella, and Ellery; sister Mary Ann Anderson of Granite Falls and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Funeral Services 2:00pm, Friday, February 3, 2023 at Cambridge Lutheran Church, 621 Old North Main St. Cambridge, MN.  Visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment in Cambridge Lutheran Cemetery.  Donations can be made to Cambridge Lutheran Church.  All undesignated gifts will be given to the Rock Valle Lutheran Cemetery Fund, c/o  Stan Schmidt, 6124 210th Avenue, Echo, MN 56237. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ellen M. (Finnes) Anderson, please visit our floral store.