Westen H. Anderson brought a human touch to the funeral home industry for over 50 years, both by comforting families and advocating for his employees to start their own businesses.
He brought that same enthusiasm to his volunteer work with the American Swedish Institute.
Anderson, 81, died on April 28 from congestive heart failure.
A second-generation mortician, he took over his father's funeral home, Henry W. Anderson Mortuary, when his father died in 1967. Westen Anderson was in his early 30s then and stayed active in the business until recently.
"We had one of our last board meetings at his house earlier this year," said his son Timothy Anderson, who became the third-generation owner of the business.
The original Henry W. Anderson Mortuary, founded in 1931, was on Lake Street in Minneapolis. It moved to the Standish neighborhood in 1956. A second location opened in Apple Valley in 1988.
The business was a family affair with his wife, Carol, working at the funeral home and both of his sons, Daniel and Timothy, joining the business as adults.
Anderson also will be remembered for mentoring and helping to launch a number of funeral directors who worked for him.