Mrs. Anderson was born Helen Jeanette Anderson on Jan. 6, 1927, on a farm north of Colby. She joined the U.S. Cadet Nurses Corp., graduated from Asbury Hospital School of Nursing, Salina, and received a bachelor of science from Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, and a master's degree in adult education from Kansas State University, Manhattan. She was a registed nurse and a nurse instructor at Asbury Hospital. She also held many other positions in nursing education.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Association, Nurses Association of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the General Federation of Women's Clubs and the Sacred Literature & Roundtable Club.

Survivors include her husband, Lavern H. of the home; a daughter, Aileen L. Abbott and husband John T. of Orion, Ill.; three sons, Barry L. and wife Christine of Pensacola, Fla., Bryan C. and wife Diane of Salina and Ronald S. and wife Johnnie of Smolan; three sisters, Mary A. Nelson and husband Dale and Loretta R. Rikoff and husband William, all of Colby, and Lorriane B. Latimer and husband Bill of Gem; two brothers, Allan D. Pence and wife Lois of rural Colby and Lawrence H. Pence and wife Bonnie of Sun City, Ariz.; six grandchildren, Jason, Julie, Lisa, Peter, Riley and Holly; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church, Salina. Private inurnment will be before the services.

Memorials may be made to the church or KWU Nursing Scholarship Fund.