Annie "Dee" Anderson

***The slideshow and service recording is available below the obituary.  Due to a technial difficulty there isn't a video of the entire gravesite but it has been recreated the best that it could be.  At the end of the text screens there is a video with Amazing Grace playing in the background.  This is an actual recording of a hospice musician singing to Dee in her final days that was played at the graveside and also video and photos that were captured.  You may need to turn the sound up to hear the music.***  

Annie ‘’Dee’’ Deloris Anderson, 94, of Atlantic, passed away peacefully with a small smile in the early morning of September 8, 2026 at The Gardens of Cedar Rapids with family at her bedside.

Born on December 10, 1931 to Ella and Frank ‘’Cecil’’ Roberts of Exira, Iowa, Dee grew up working on the family farm alongside her brothers, John and Jeff who she loved dearly. She attended a small rural school several miles away, traveling there on foot or horseback as was common at the time. She was an excellent student and was early to pass high school entrance exams at age 13. She graduated from Exira High School in 1949 maintaining close friendships with many classmates throughout her lifetime.

At age 17 she moved into a small apartment in Atlantic and began work at the pharmacy soda fountain. Shortly thereafter, one summer evening at the roller-skating rink, a handsome young employee of the Atlantic Grand Theater named Dick Anderson “rolled up” to her on a dare and asked if he could walk her home. They were married on June 11th, 1950 and shared 62 loving years together. Their daughter, Barbara Kay, was born in 1951, followed by their son, Richard Alvin, in 1954. In their early marriage, Dick began work with the Economy Shoe Store and Dee stayed home to raise their children and supplemented the family income by baking wedding cakes and working some evenings at Van’s Chat and Chew. She still found time to be both cub scout leader, Sunday School teacher and was always generous to share her seamstress talents. She was frugal and wise with $$ and extravagant with her sense of humor and her love. Eventually they purchased the shoe store and Dee became Dicks co-worker and favorite bookkeeper. Her high school year book motto was “Born to Dance” so she introduced Dick to square dancing and he introduced her to golf; they enjoyed both activities with friends for the rest of their lives.

As their children grew older, Dee joined Home Federal Savings and Loan in 1969, where she worked for more than 20 years and eventually became branch manager. Shortly after Home Federal closed its doors, she received a call from friend Tammy Cullen inviting her to join the wonderful staff at Cullen and Associates which she happily accepted and enjoyed until retiring. After Dick’s death in 2012, Dee remained active in local women’s clubs, volunteered at both Heritage House and Cass County Hospital and enjoyed visiting her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and attending their activities. She loved to travel and favorites were many times to Branson, yearly Minnesota vacations, Hawaii with her mother and daughter and an Alaskan family cruise.

Her enduring legacy is the family she proudly celebrated by saying, “Look what we started”: daughter Barbara (Larry) Witmer of Solon; son Richard (Brenda) Anderson of Boone; grandchildren Autumn (Kyle) Switzer of Swisher, Ryan (Sara) Anderson of Ogden, Jordan Witmer of Cedar Rapids, and Ross Anderson of Cedar Rapids; and great-grandchildren Kolten, Corbin, Collier, and Kian Switzer of Swisher, Bek, Ella, Kael, and Aiden Anderson of Ogden, and Kelvin Witmer of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ella and Cecil; her brothers, John and Jeff; and her beloved husband, Dick. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Visitation with the family present will begin at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, September 12th at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic, followed by a funeral service at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Heather Santi-Brown from the United Church of Christ in Atlantic will officiate. The service will be recorded and available on the funeral home website by end of day Sunday.

Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the United Church of Christ or the Heritage House Good Samaritan Fund.

Roland Funeral Service is caring for Dee’s family and her arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.