EVELYN GRUBER ANDERSON

M. Evelyn “Evie” Gruber Anderson, 100, died June 29, 2017. She was the only child of Orange and Narine (Higbee) Gruberwas born Jan. 8, 1917, in Benjamin, Mo. Both of her parents’ families were early pioneer settlers in Lewis, Knox and Clark counties. She was educated in the Canton schools graduating from Canton High School in 1934 and Culver-Stockton College in the Class of 1939. She was married in 1942 to her high school sweetheart, William E. Westhoff, also of Canton, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. As a Naval officer, they traveled all over the world. She lived in Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cambridge, MA and in Washington, DC where she worked at the Office of Naval Intelligence. She relocated to California in 1952 were she worked at Norton AFB in San Bernardino. From this position, she transferred to the State of California, Division of Highways as a Delineator drawing designs for freeways. She was divorced in July 1955 and later married Ray Anderson, a Civil Engineer with the State of California in 1960. They moved to Sacramento in 1963 and both continued working for the State of California until their retirement in 1977. In 1982, Ray Anderson died and Evie moved back to Colt on in 1999. She later lived in Loma Linda until her death. Evie traveled extensively throughout her life having been to all 50 states and over 65 foreign countries. Her unique sense of humor and love for joke telling led to regular appearances on nationally syndicated radio programs. Later in life, she wrote a memoir of her life and self-published the book, Jetcetera: The Life, Wit and Wisdom of Evie Anderson. She was loved by many cousins and friends and will be missed.