Richard Allen Anderson
March 2, 1959 — March 24, 2024
Richard Allen Anderson, 65, of Smoot, Wyo., passed away Sunday, March 24, under a Wyoming moon and starlit sky with his wife Karen by his side. He leaves a legacy of unwavering love for his wife, family, friends, neighbors, patients, and colleagues. He was a gentle, humble and honest spirit who touched thousands of lives for the better. He gracefully and courageously faced an aggressive, inoperable glioblastoma that took his life far too soon despite having excellent health since childhood.
Rich was born in Trinidad, Colo., on March 2, 1959, the son of Eugene “Gene” Paul Anderson and Frances “Frannie” Irene Brenna — both kind, supportive parents. His formative childhood years were spent with a backdrop of Gunnison, Colo., landscapes where he perpetually spent time in the great outdoors. He fished and rafted the rivers, climbed the mountains and embraced the seasons. He often recalled the positive influence of his Grandma Loretta Anderson from Yankton, South Dakota. As a teen, he worked for and spent cherished time with famed gunsmith Keith Stegall who greatly impacted Rich by instilling a deep appreciation for the aesthetics and function of a well-crafted gun. He handled the imported French walnut blanks for Stegall’s custom gunstocks. Rich’s passion for all aspects of marksmanship continued throughout his lifetime.
Graduating from Gunnison High School, Rich was an athlete who swam competitively and played baseball and basketball. In his collegiate years, he was noted for shooting 500 clay pigeons straight in a row with great accuracy and consistency. He was offered a professional exhibition trap shooting position but declined and attended South Dakota State University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Management. He worked as the Elk Feedground Manager for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, trained and hitched over 20 teamed pairs of heavy-footed horses, hauled hay, conducted the largest comprehensive bear study on the North American continent, studied elk populations, and spent much time on the rivers in southwestern Wyoming.
He completed medical school in Yakima, Washington and later worked for Big Piney/Marbleton Rural Healthcare District. Ultimately, he practiced urgent care and family medicine for over 25 years at Wyoming Range Medical/Red Desert InstaCare in Sublette and Sweetwater Counties, which he co-owned. Rich’s career culminated in his private medical business, Anderson Creek, LLC, contracting with Sterling Urgent Care. Rich was a dedicated and highly requested health care provider who tirelessly practiced the art of medicine. He was always calm, helpful and friendly. All who knew him understood the level of dedication that he willingly managed and embraced.
He offered a life of volunteer service and improved every community in which he lived. He was a volunteer EMT and provided stellar first response and care through Emergency Management Systems, covering one of the largest counties in Wyoming. Teaching youth 4H shooting sports, hunter education, and Whiskey Mountain Conservation camp brought him much happiness. He served on the Sublette County School Board. Through BOCES grant funding, he designed and maintained recreational trails benefitting outdoor enthusiasts still today.
Rich gave to others because he believed in the positive essence of humanity. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall, he was a quiet giant among Wyoming men and an introvert who helped anyone in need simply by being asked. He would answer medical questions; cut, split, and stack a cord of firewood; navigate home projects; price a firearm; repair a leaky sink; gut a bison, deer, elk, or antelope; build a shelter shed; aerate and stock a trout pond; host chuckwagon barbecues; help calves in distress; splice a damaged barbed wire fence; and more—all done humbly and efficiently with a wry sense of humor. His genuine smile welcomed many. Social media is flooded with positive memoirs–a testament to the scope of his influence.
Uniquely competent at everything he undertook, Rich’s “suggestions” and “first thoughts” on even the most complex problems posed by a friend or patient or family member, frequently became their “successful solutions and outcomes.” With a quiet nature, he held in confidence the personal contacts for the President of Henry Repeating Arms, Dick Casull of Freedom Arms, Wyoming Congressmen, NBA notables, area gunsmiths, local forest rangers, the American West’s best-specialized surgeons, and top-notch range masters.
Above all else, being a supportive and loyal husband, father, son, sibling, and grandfather mattered to Rich. Time spent relaxing at home, walking outside, landing a fly under the willows or along a foam line, and floating the rivers with family and friends were some of Rich’s greatest joys. He appreciated hummingbirds, black-capped chickadees, western tanagers, mallards, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, osprey, pine grosbeaks, woolly buggers and renegades. Masterfully, he completed whole books of Sudoku and loved playing cribbage, bridge, and a great game of poker.
A kind, intelligent man, Rich valued integrity and a handshake deal based on one’s word. Rich would always give an honest answer, and he was known for listening to others. He was the last one to go to bed with the “night owls” and the first to rise with “the early birds;” he would often say, “The coffee sure tastes good,” and “I’m working on it.”
Rich knew the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Redeemer. He continued to listen and respond to all who came to visit, call, or FaceTime him with full awareness of their best blessing, songs, stories, meals, memories, and love. Rich believed firmly in the first and great commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” He equally believed and lived the second greatest commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Karen and Rich wish to thank the 228 people who came to visit during the last four months of Rich’s life offering in return kindness, helping hands, nourishment, prayers, blessings, heartfelt music, cards, and shared memories. You truly made a difference in the quality of our lives through our deepest hours of need in the midst of winter; we were filled with gratitude for the outpouring of love. We appreciate St. John’s Hospice Nurse Patti Ludwig, the Sage Living team, and Nathan Jacquart for their compassionate love and care; we are grateful for Dave and Jan Schaad, Pastor Jeff Brown, Reverend Jimmy Bartz, Reverend Mary Erickson, and Bishop John LaMunyon for their constant spiritual support.
Rich is survived by: his wife Karen Zahn-Anderson (married 2009) of Smoot, Wyo.; his mother, Frances “Frannie” Irene Brenna of Fort Collins, Colo.; his son Heath Anderson (Ashley Purcell) of Bozeman, Mont.; his daughter Cori Frances Wenz (Zach) of Big Piney, Wyo.; stepson Mikael Fehlberg (Becca) of Orem, Utah; stepdaughter Jessica Myrup of Shelton, Wash.; grandchildren: Nathan Wenz, Adrienne Anderson, Arayah Purcell, Lela Fehlberg, Sieg Fehlberg, Kenneth Fehlberg; sister Nancy Tafoya; brother Mike (Karla) Anderson; nieces: Jamie, Kellie, Whitney, Anya, Nephew, Ben; lifelong heart-brothers: Bruce Walker and Dave Schaad; heart-sister Jan Schaad; in-laws Ken and Carol Zahn; in-laws John and Jane Hunt; and ex-wife Barb Mangelsdorf Anderson (divorced 2007).
Rich was predeceased by his father Eugene “Gene” Paul Anderson (Nov. 27, 2019) and his Wyoming heart-brothers Jesse Blagrove and Dave Neher.
The welfare and happiness of Rich’s loved ones were always on his mind.
Rich had the spirit of a healer and trusted companion as his patient soul walked among us. His sensitive being was entwined with nature and humanity — his two professions; he walked to his own truth with God. Rich and Karen share this lasting mantra in his memory: “Love prevails.”
There will be a memorial service honoring Rich on Friday, June 14, at 1 p.m., at St. John’s Episcopal Church by the town square in Jackson, Wyo.
A private, invitation-only service will occur at The Chapel of the Transfiguration located inside Grand Teton National Park where Rich’s ashes will be interred in The Garden of Memories on the chapel grounds.
