Frank E. Anderson

(Ret.) Lt. Col. U.S.A.F.

He showed us the meaning of selflessness.

He served his country honorably for 28 years in the USAF; he served his city for 8 years as Bella Vista's first mayor; he served his community for many years in the Bella Vista POA; he served his city again for 4 years as councilman. He proudly gave his time and energy to service organizations as the Bella Vista Foundation and Bella Vista Rotary. He supported, loved and brought under the city umbrella the Bella Vista Public Library.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Frank E. Anderson, 86, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Thursday, Sept. 12, the day after Patriot's Day.

He was born Oct. 26, 1937, to Frank Alfred Anderson and Dorothy Margaret Coe (Anderson) Mueller in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Benson High School, Omaha, Neb., in 1955; and then the University of Nebraska Omaha in 1959. As a high school and college ROTC member graduate, he joined the U.S. Air Force with the intention of three years' service. That service ended 28 years later in Omaha.

He married Janeen Kay Geiger on July 25, 1959. Together, they served and made homes for their family in Minnesota, Morocco, Nebraska (Lincoln), Mississippi, Japan, Virginia (Pentagon and Andrews AFB) and again in Nebraska (Omaha).

Retirement, at age 49, took him to Bella Vista in 1988, to bring mom and her sister close together. This led to more civic service after several years of golf, and more golf. Near and dear to his heart during this time was Oaks-Mission and school district in Oklahoma where he volunteered and served as committee member in his church, Bella Vista United Lutheran, collecting and delivering items to the Oaks Mission.

He was elected Mayor of Bella Vista in 2006 on the same ballot that incorporated the city.

He enjoyed live entertainment, especially music. Branson was a monthly destination until Janeen died April 27, 2017; less frequently after that. He became a Hogs baseball fan, holding season tickets for many years and attending home games day after day with Mom and then without. For 70 years, he attended and held season tickets to the College World Series in Omaha becoming his family's CWS master tailgater and scorebook professor.

Dad was a great storyteller, enthralling various audiences and bringing laughter and joy to his family. He continued to the very end. His post stroke (July 2024) medical care teams were enamored with his sarcasm, telling nurses checking on his memory status that he was the same age, had the same birthday and social security number as the day before when they asked.

Janeen, his wife of 58 years preceded him in death along with his parents, Dorothy (and Al Mueller) and Frank A. Anderson; his stepmother, Ruby, of Des Moines, survives.

His two children, Terri Anderson O'Byrne of Bella Vista, and Steve Anderson (Patty) of Omaha, Neb., also survive. Along with grandchildren, Danny O'Byrne (Mary) of Pittsburgh, Penn., Joshua Anderson (Lizz) of Omaha, Shannon Lammers (Dennis) of Omaha, Brendan O'Byrne of Bella Vista, Mitchell Anderson (Taylor) of Omaha, Shane O'Byrne of Omaha; great granddaughters, Sonora, Elsie, Lainey, Leighton and Lily Anderson all of Omaha; and brother, Mike Anderson (Mary) of Plattsmouth, Neb.

He served, provided, golfed, traveled extensively, and lived to his heart's content taking those he loved along for a fulfilling and joyous ride. He was our family's greatest Santa Claus; he packed up and moved his daughter (many times) and several grandchildren, some across country; he laid tile, replaced carpets, built toy boxes, provided sound advice (some unsolicited!), reversed roles with the woman he loved to become caregiver when her health failed, entertained family at his Bella Vista lake home and took them on winding Ozark Road adventures leaving precious memories for us all. He was such a humble man. An honest man. A proud man. His love of the open road carries on in his children.

He loved this community, called it home for 37 years, longer than any other place he lived, and was proud to lay foundation to the city of Bella Vista along with his comrades.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, a celebration of love and memories will be held at United Lutheran Church, 100 Cooper Road in Bella Vista with a memorial service starting at 11 a.m. Conversation and shared memories will continue after the service with a sampling of Dad's favorite food and drink.

The family invites your shared memories at funeralmation.com, the website of Bella Vista Funeral Home who cared for our dad at his death.

His cremains will be laid to rest in the spring of 2025 in the National Cemetery of Omaha, Nebraska, next to our mother's.

He supported many organizations, and we offer these in memoriam: Bella Vista Fire Department; Bella Vista Public Library; Bella Vista Police Department; Bella Vista Cemetery; Bella Vista Rotary; Bella Vista Historical Society; Bella Vista Foundation; Circle of Life Hospice Care of Bentonville; Oaks Mission of Oaks, Okla.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bella Vista Funeral Home & Crematory. On-line condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.