Leonard C. Andersen

Leonard C. Andersen, 103, of Sioux City, passed away December 28, 2014, at a local nursing home. Visitation will be 4:00 to 8:00 pm Friday, January 2, 2015, at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. The family will be present beginning at 6:00. A prayer service follows at 7:00. The funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3, at Morningside Lutheran Church with the Reverend Tom LoVan officiating. Burial at Memorial Park Cemetery follows. Leonard was born to Danish immigrants Lauritz and Marie Andersen on May 30, 1911, in Waukegan, Illinois. He moved with his parents to Presho, South Dakota, as an infant. He graduated from Presho High School in 1929. He earned his degree from Huron College in Huron, South Dakota in 1933which included a year at the University of South Dakota Law School. He attended the University of South Dakota for another year, followed by a year teaching at Onida, South Dakota, High School. He moved to Forest City, Iowa, Iowa to head the Business and Economics Department at Waldorf College. He completed a Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Minnesota in 1936. Leonard married Charlotte Ritland June 30, 1937. Leonard began selling life insurance part time. When they moved to Clarion, Iowa, in 1939, Leonard sold insurance full time. He moved his family to Sioux City in 1941 when he became a General Agent. During World War II when gas and tires were rationed, he taught at Morningside College. In 1960, he bought several general insurance agencies. He founded Andersen Investment and Insurance Agency. The business is still in the family. Beginning in 1952, Leonard bought and managed rental property in various neighborhoods of Sioux City. Leonard spent 14 years in the Iowa legislature: 10 in the House of Representatives and 4 in the Senate. He served on numerous state and local committees and boards, including the Human Rights Commission of Sioux City. He also was a Regent of Augustana College. Leonard and Charlotte were faithful members of Morningside Lutheran Church since their arrival in Sioux City. Leonard taught Sunday School, served on numerous committees, and was president of the congregation four times. Leonard was active in the Lion's Club, Sioux City Rental Association, Scandinavian Society and Sons of Norway, and was a founding member of the local chapter of Charter Life Underwriters. Leonard is survived by his wife, Charlotte; four children: Karen (Fred) Schneider of Cincinnati, Ohio, Paul (Jeanne Graham) of Sioux City, Charlene (Kurt) Olsson of Moscow, Idaho, and Mark (Denise DeMeulenaere) of Sioux City, 13 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Margaret Kindt and Marie Steen, and brothers Lawrence, George and John, a son David, who died in the 1952 polio epidemic in Sioux City, and great granddaughter Karina Carter. Pall bearers will be his seven grandsons. Memorials may be directed to Morningside Lutheran Church Endowment Fund.