ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Charles Anderson, 79 years old, born on May 7, 1944, and passed away on June 3, 2023. We will remember him forever.
June 12, 2023
June 12, 2023
My Friend "Slim". Tracy Sean and I started running around together in 1986. Total opposites, but the best of friends. Chuck loved to give us a hard time, and in a somewhat rare smart-ass moment, I took to calling him Slim. So he was never Chuck to me. He went straight from Mr. Anderson to Slim.

One night I came by the house to pick up Tracy to go cruise town. Slim asked what we were going to do, and I told him we were going to pick up chicks. He replies with "The only chicks you two can pick up are small, fuzzy and yellow!"

He will always be one of my favorite people.
June 4, 2023
June 4, 2023
My Dad was my best friend. While during my teen years we did not see eye to eye, every confrontation we had, I see now was done out of love and concern. As I became an adult with a young family, it became so very clear to me what my Dad had done for me, and my siblings. He and Mom worked so hard to give us experiences, opportunities, and hardships, to help us grow into responsible adults. I never doubted his love for me.

He was my rock. The one person I could always go when I had questions, fears, challenges - you name it. We often talked on the phone multiple times a week - of course most of those were just "shooting the shit", they meant everything to me because he was always there. 

When my parents divorced when I was 10, I ultimately chose to live with him along with my brother. We were "The three amigos", as we used to say. On the weekends I was not with my Mom, the 3 of us would invariably end-up at the movies, or Shakey's Pizza with a trip to "Wizards Arcade" where he'd get us a $10 roll of quarters to blow on video games. While divorce is hard on everyone, it was the best thing that could have happened for him. He grounded himself back on his kids, and what was important in life. 

Meeting Crystal and ultimately marrying her was the best decision of his life. She helped make him the man he was, brought structure in our home, and gave me another brother and sister who I love dearly. 

Dad and I had several adventures together - fishing on the river, going to the Mariners games, even a trip to Vegas for CES one year. When he and Mom visited our family in Shanghai, it was a great opportunity for us to explore some incredible things together, including the Great Wall, Tianneman Square, the Forbidden City, Hangzhou and of course the wonders the city of Shanghai had to offer.

While death is always hard for those of us left behind, I'm very grateful that he's on the other side now. Dementia is a cruel disease, where you watch the person die right in front of you - very slowly. The person you used to know suddenly becomes someone else. While at the end of Dad's struggle with dementia, I was grateful that he never turned "mean". He wasn't able to speak much over the last number of months, but was always there with a smile and an "I love you" - and that was enough.

Hug Tracy and Avery for me, Dad. I've already been missing you for a while now - I'm just happy you're no longer suffering.

Jaybird

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June 12, 2023
June 12, 2023
My Friend "Slim". Tracy Sean and I started running around together in 1986. Total opposites, but the best of friends. Chuck loved to give us a hard time, and in a somewhat rare smart-ass moment, I took to calling him Slim. So he was never Chuck to me. He went straight from Mr. Anderson to Slim.

One night I came by the house to pick up Tracy to go cruise town. Slim asked what we were going to do, and I told him we were going to pick up chicks. He replies with "The only chicks you two can pick up are small, fuzzy and yellow!"

He will always be one of my favorite people.
June 4, 2023
June 4, 2023
My Dad was my best friend. While during my teen years we did not see eye to eye, every confrontation we had, I see now was done out of love and concern. As I became an adult with a young family, it became so very clear to me what my Dad had done for me, and my siblings. He and Mom worked so hard to give us experiences, opportunities, and hardships, to help us grow into responsible adults. I never doubted his love for me.

He was my rock. The one person I could always go when I had questions, fears, challenges - you name it. We often talked on the phone multiple times a week - of course most of those were just "shooting the shit", they meant everything to me because he was always there. 

When my parents divorced when I was 10, I ultimately chose to live with him along with my brother. We were "The three amigos", as we used to say. On the weekends I was not with my Mom, the 3 of us would invariably end-up at the movies, or Shakey's Pizza with a trip to "Wizards Arcade" where he'd get us a $10 roll of quarters to blow on video games. While divorce is hard on everyone, it was the best thing that could have happened for him. He grounded himself back on his kids, and what was important in life. 

Meeting Crystal and ultimately marrying her was the best decision of his life. She helped make him the man he was, brought structure in our home, and gave me another brother and sister who I love dearly. 

Dad and I had several adventures together - fishing on the river, going to the Mariners games, even a trip to Vegas for CES one year. When he and Mom visited our family in Shanghai, it was a great opportunity for us to explore some incredible things together, including the Great Wall, Tianneman Square, the Forbidden City, Hangzhou and of course the wonders the city of Shanghai had to offer.

While death is always hard for those of us left behind, I'm very grateful that he's on the other side now. Dementia is a cruel disease, where you watch the person die right in front of you - very slowly. The person you used to know suddenly becomes someone else. While at the end of Dad's struggle with dementia, I was grateful that he never turned "mean". He wasn't able to speak much over the last number of months, but was always there with a smile and an "I love you" - and that was enough.

Hug Tracy and Avery for me, Dad. I've already been missing you for a while now - I'm just happy you're no longer suffering.

Jaybird
His Life

Obituary

June 4, 2023
Charles (Chuck) Anderson was born on May 7th, 1944 to Wilbert and Lucille Anderson in Knob Noster, Missouri.  He passed-away on June 3rd, 2023, after a long battle with dementia.  He is survived by his wife, Crystal Anderson, sister, Stefanie Weseloh, children, Tracy White, Jason Anderson and Curtis White, and 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.  He was proceeded in death by his eldest son, Tracy Anderson, an infant son and daughter (Michael and Melinda) and granddaughter, Avery Anderson.

After graduating from High School in 1962, Chuck joined the Navy and served aboard the USS Dale, guided missile cruiser, where he learned electronics servicing on-board missiles.  After returning from the Navy in 1966, Chuck's sister Stephanie introduced him to her best friend, Kathi Larsen.  Chuck and Kathi were married in 1967 and later that year their first son, Tracy, was born.  Chuck worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad as well as Boeing, where he spent the rest of his 30+ year career.

After the devastating loss of 2 pre-mature infant births (Michael and Melinda), in 1973 Jason Anderson was born.  The family of 4 relocated from Sedalia, Missouri in 1979 to Kent, Washington in order for Chuck to continue his career at Boeing.

Chuck and Kathi were divorced in 1983, which led to Chuck meeting the love of his life - Crystal White.  Chuck and Crystal were married on June 30th, 1983, and the family of 6 had many adventures together, traveling around Washington on several camping excursions with water-skiing, fishing and overall fun.

After the kids all moved-out, Chuck and Crystal moved to a new home and in 2002, they both jointly retired from Boeing.  They bought a 5th-wheel RV, and traveled extensively throughout the United States, visiting friends and family and simply enjoying the country.  Many of these trips included their grandchildren as there was nothing they loved more than spending time with them.  In addition to extensive road-travel, they also did international excursions to various spots in Europe, Mexico and China.

Chuck was an incredible father, loving his step-children no differently than his natural children.  While Chuck had a few hobbies, such as golfing, woodworking and fly-fishing, his priorities were always focused on his family, where he funneled his time, resources and love.  As he often referred to his children regarding their mother, Crystal, he would say, "I'm so lucky to have her, I don't deserve that woman".  He loved her more than life, and they treated each other with the utmost respect - marking a pattern for his children and grandchildren to follow in their lives.

He was greatly loved, and will be dearly missed - but never forgotten.
Recent stories

Happy Father's Day

June 18, 2023
While this could be considered the hardest Father's Day of my life, surprisingly it's not.  Not everyone is lucky enough to not only have their dad for 50 years of their life, but to have a dad as great as you are.  During the most fragile time of our lives as kids when you and mom divorced, you were there for Tracy and I as a steady, constant force.  You took the challenge of being a single Father head-on, made us feel safe, loved and happy.

You were there for me when I was going through my own personal challenges as a Father, a Husband, and one thing I could always count on from you was sound advice.  

I miss you, Pop.  Thank you for all of the adventures.  Thank you for the proverbial "whack to the back of the head" when I needed it.  Thank you being my best friend.

Being a Grandfather

June 9, 2023
It was clearly evident to me that one of your greatest joys in this life was being a Grandfather.  You and Mom attended soccer and t-ball games, Boy Scout ceremonies, school awards programs, dance recitals - the list goes on.  You shared your love of fishing and golfing as well.  Probably the most significant, and impactful, were the camping trips you took your grandkids on in the RV.  They talked about those outings all throughout thier lives - and still do today.  

As you modeled to me how to be a great father, so too did you model to me on how to be a great Grandfather.  It, too, is one of my greatest joys in this life - so much that we will be moving to Alaska to be closer to our grandkids to give them the experiences similar to what you did for my children.  Thank you for this wonderful gift - not only for my children - but for ME.

I'm so thankful that you lived long enough to see me be a Grandfather and I hope you witnessing me doing so has made you proud.

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