Illa Mae Anders

A funeral service for Illa Mae Anders will be held on Monday, August 28, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church of rural Smithfield, Nebraska with Mr. Joe Wilken officiating. Interment will be held prior to the service at 1:00 p.m. at the Highland Cemetery in Bertrand, Nebraska.

Illa Mae (Rasmussen) Anders, 92 years of age, of Bertrand, formerly of Smithfield passed away, on August 22, 2023, at the Bertrand Nursing Home. Illa was born on the farm northeast of Cozad, Nebraska on June 18, 1931, the oldest of two children, born to Oscar and Valborg (Houborg) Rasmussen. Illa's favorite memory was of riding a horse with her father and observing the excavation of a wooly mammoth fossil north of their home. She moved to Cozad at five years old when her father became the owner of a John Deere Implement store. Illa's family moved to Kearney when she was in fifth grade. She graduated from Kearney High School in 1949 where she was a member of the Pen and Scroll (a journalist club), on the business staff of the Log (Kearney High School annual), and wrote for the school paper, "The Echo." She also was the president of the Y team club. She attended Kearney State College for three years, studying Home Economics where she met her future husband, Reuben Lee Anders.

On May 28, 1952, Illa was united in marriage to Reuben Anders at the St. John's Danish Lutheran Church east of Cozad, and to this union, three children were born: Virginia, Kathleen, and John. Reuben was a school teacher and high school coach taking the family to Oakdale, North Loop, Wilcox, Edison, Republican City, and finally Bertrand. During the summers, when school was out, they would move to the Anders' homestead and manage the farm. Illa worked as a clerk at the Antelope County Courthouse in Neligh, Nebraska and while living in Edison she went back to college for her teaching credentials and worked as a Kindergarten teacher for two years.

Illa was always active in her communities. While the kids were young she led Brownie Scouts and 4-H. She regularly hosted the Women's clubs in each of the towns they lived in. After moving to Smithfield, she wrote the "Smithfield News" for the Bertrand Herald newspaper and ran the Four Seasons Floral Shop and Danish Coffee Shop. She would host the Red Hat Society and numerous coffee groups, during which the community would often play cards.

She enjoyed collecting antiques, playing cards, and conversing with friends and family. She was known as the historian for Smithfield and helped organize the Smithfield Centennial in 1990.

Illa was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith, at St John's Danish Lutheran Church near Cozad. She became a member of the Missouri Lutheran Church when she married Reuben, and they attended St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand. Since moving to Smithfield, she became a member of Hope Lutheran Church. She served in several capacities including, Saturday School, Wednesday School, Alter Guild, and Bible Studies, and helped put together the church floats for various parades.

She moved to the Bertrand nursing home after suffering a stroke in 2017, which paralyzed her right side. Forever the optimist, she enjoyed visits from family and friends. Notably, the Wednesday Ladies' coffee group continued at the nursing home until the nursing home went on lockdown due to the COVID–19 pandemic in 2020.

She was a member of the American Legion Axillary and the Republican Party.

Illa was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; one brother, Roger Rasmussen; and one son-in-law, Roger Jones.

Illa is survived by her three children: Virginia Ellmore and her husband, Jeff of Newport Beach, California; Kathleen Jones of Smithfield; John Anders and his wife, Carma of Bertrand; seven grandchildren: Nate Anders and his significant other, Felicia Rademacher of Bertrand; Nikkia Castillo and her husband, Eric of Doniphan, Nebraska; Jonathan Anders of Bertrand; Ben Jones and his wife, Andrea, of Dallas, Texas; Calena Ohlson and her husband, Andy, of Omaha, Nebraska; Sierra Lister and her husband, Adam of Fargo, North Dakota; Elizabeth Ellmore of Mountain View, California; five great-grandchildren: Sophie and Aspen Jones; Alec Lovitt and his significant other, Jorjah Shimmin; Aden Lovitt; Isabelle Ohlson; one great-great-grandchild: Owen Lovitt; along with a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, August 27, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with family greeting friends from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church of rural Smithfield.

A memorial has been established in Illa's honor, and kindly suggested to the family for later designation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.