Obituary of Elizabeth Anderson

Elizabeth M. Anderson, 93, of Princeton, formerly of Cambridge passed away on Monday, February 18, 2013 at the Elim Home in Princeton. She was born April 19, 1919 in Wyanett Township, Minnesota the oldest of six children to C. Albert and Lydia (Pearson) Anderson. Liz graduated from Princeton High School in 1938 and went on to the Free Church Bible Institute (the forerunner of Trinity) from 1939-1941. She worked in Colorado Mountains teaching children and was sponsored by a group so she could earn enough money for nursing school. With that and other donations from Christians, Liz was able to start at the Swedish Hospital School of Nursing, starting in 1941 and graduating in 1944. Elizabeth was able to raise support from the National Women's Missionary Society to send her on her life-long dream of being a missionary. At that time she chose as her life verse Ephesians 3:20-21 "He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." After finishing raising her support, she was able to leave on May 22, 1946 for the mission field. Liz started out as an RN in 1946, working at the Tandala Clinic, then known as the Belgian Congo. She ran a dispensary on the station and later moved into evangelism, women's work and literature work. In 1961 she was joined by Canadian missionary Leeta Thornton and they traveled Ubangi together in a pickup truck with a camper, living out of it for weeks at a time. Liz also wrote booklets in Lingala and published them. She also wrote, translated and taught Emmaus African correspondence courses and ran that program for many years. Liz was the primary Lingala language teacher for many of the new missionaries. She officially served 31 years in Congo and then returned to Cambridge in 1977 to care for her aging mother. Leeta returned with her and they continued to write books and pamphlets in Lingala, print them and ship them overseas. Liz and Leeta moved into the Caley house in Princeton in 1998. Leeta passed away in December 2006. Elizabeth continued to live in the Caley House until 2011 when she moved to the Elim Home. Known as "Mama Elizabeti" by the Africans, she was deeply revered and respected. She will also be remembered by her family and friends for her love of the Lord and her peaceful spirit. She was loved by many and a strong witness to those who the Lord placed in her path. She is survived by her sister Doris Anderson of Minneapolis, brother Vernon (Phyllis) Anderson of Rockford, IL, as well as numerous nieces, nephews other relatives and friends.