The Becker community lost a long time business owner last month. Glenn Richard Anderson passed away April 19, 2021 in Sabre Springs, CA. Glenn was born Oct. 11, 1929 to Otto and Lillian Anderson. His siblings were Rodney, Alan and Beatrice.
Glenn met his wife, Beverly Halm, while attending St. Cloud State University. The couple married May 31, 1951. Glenn and Bev raised three children: Wayne, Gary (Ann) and Shelly (Dave). Glenn is survived by his wife, Bev, his three children, as well as five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Glenn was a hard worker. When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed being outdoors. Friends and family describe Glenn as being an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing and traveling by motorcycle.
Glenn owned several businesses in Becker for decades (1960 to 1986).
Glenn Anderson’s father, Otto Anderson, owned Anderson Chevrolet car dealership in Becker. They started selling Model Ts off the train in Becker in 1917. They operated as a Ford Motor Company. In 1924, they swtiched over to Chevrolet.
Glenn worked for his father while he was in high school. Glenn became co-owner of Anderson Chevrolet with his brother Alan. The business included a car dealership, gas station and auto repair shop.
In 1960, Virgil Gilyard bought out Alan Anderson’s share of the business, and a wonderful business partnership was formed between Virgil Gilyard and Glenn Anderson. Anderson and Gilyard did a coin toss to see who got to name the business and Gilyard won the coin toss. He chose to name the new business venture Anderson-Gilyard. Some of the earliest employees included Phil (Buster) Lambert, Ronnie Kolbinger, Harold Kolbinger, Elvin (Knute) Gilyard, Rosie Klinker, Glen Johnson, Ken Johnson, Vicky Johnson, Conrad Olson and many others. My dad, Ernie Erickson, drove the fuel truck for their business after Merton Dyson sold Glenn his fuel truck.
Local resident Donny Aleckson worked for Glenn and Virgil and recalled many wonderful people who worked with him as mechanics, delivering fuel and other positions. Some of the names Donny mentioned: Jim Boettcher, Frank Dahl, Dick Woolhouse, Harold Simonsmeier, Gordy and Doug Williams, Buster Lambert, John Riebel, Ken McCalla, Milton Norlund, and many others.
Kristi (Gilyard) Kelly recalled when she was in Washington purchasing her first new car - a 1980 Camaro. She called the office and asked Virgil for his input. Virgil told Kristi: “I’m going to give you to the expert!” and put Glenn on the phone.
Virgil described his former business partner this way: “Glenn was an expert salesperson and mechanic. There was nothing he couldn’t fix. We had a wonderful partnership.” Glenn and Virgil’s friendship goes way back. The two men were classmates and played basketball together in earlier years.
Rosie Klinker is in her 47th year working in the office at Anderson Gilyard. She started working for them in September of 1974. Rosie says she has always enjoyed working for Glenn and Virgil and shared these words: “I never heard a negative word between Glenn and Virgil!”
Glenn Anderson and Virgil Gilyard would go on to have several succesful business ventures together. They built Tom Thumb gas station and convenience store in Becker along Hwy 10 in Becker in 1984. The gas station had a full offering of groceries, including a meat counter from the time it opened until Virgil Gilyard opened Jubilee Foods grocery store in December of 1995 in Becker. Lonny Seeley closed his grocery store in downtown Becker (historic T-town district) to go to work at Tom Thumb. Seeley and Judy Dawson served as managers in Tom Thumb’s early year. Tom Thumb was later renamed Deli Plus/Shell.
Prior to opening Tom Thumb in Becker, the business partners (Anderson and Gilyard) had purchased the Santiago Garage in 1980 and turned it into a convenience store. They named it Santiago Country Store, where Kathy Woolard continues to serve as long time manager.
My sister Judy Larsén worked for Anderson and Gilyard for a short time while in college in the late 1960’s. She scrubbed and waxed the floors in the showroom for the new Chevrolet cars. Judy recalled about Glenn: “Glenn loved hunting. I remember Glen and Gary Schultz often went bow and arrow hunting for deer on the laundromat land (known as the washout property) adjoining our property and we often visited as he drove in or drove out after hunting each fall for many years. Glenn was always so pleasant to talk to. Glenn and Bev enjoyed coming to the Becker All School class reunions every year.”
My sister, Karen Sakry, shared the following story about Glenn Anderson’s wife, Bev: “One day in tenth grade, I got sick and neither mom nor dad could come and get me from school. It was the only time I ever had to go home sick. I called the garage and asked for dad at Anderson Gilyard, but he wasn’t available. Bev came to pick me up at school and drove me home. I remember feeling so grateful for Bev and her kindness.”
My sister Ruth recalled how much our dad enjoyed Glenn when he worked for him driving fuel truck, and how Glenn was a quiet, yet steady presence in Becker.
Glenn’s daughter, Shelly (Anderson) Waymire, said this about the partnership between her dad and the Gilyard family: “Our parent’s partnership was very rare and perfect.”
Kristi (Gilyard) Kelly shared these thoughts about Glenn: “I will miss Glenn’s phone calls. It was always special to visit with Glenn and Bev. Our fathers went to high school together. Then they joined forces in 1960 to work closely together for 25 years in a variety of endeavors. Glenn was humble, compassionate, wise, and talented. His mechanical knowledge was unmatched. My dad and Glenn had the epitome of a good partnership. Times were never easy and they worked long hard hours to make it work. I have many good memories with the Anderson family.”
Glenn Anderson sold his portion of the business to Virgil Gilyard in 1986. Anderson-Gilyard is currently still the umbrella company for several Becker and Santiago businesses to include Food Pride, Jubilee Liquor, Deli Plus/Shell and Country Store, with Virgil’s children in charge.
Rest in peace, Glenn.
