Elwin Anderson of Bloomington was recently recognized on his 22nd anniversary of membership in St. George Rotary Club, where he is also the club’s oldest member. At nearly 102 years old, it’s possible he is the most senior of any of more than 2,000 members in 47 Rotary clubs in the Utah District.
A true believer in Rotary’s motto of “service above self,” Anderson joined in 1991 and has served in a variety of assignments. In 1998-99, Anderson was also elected Rotarian of the Year for his service to his club, the community and the world.
Although his health remains good, he is no longer able to serve in ways requiring strength and agility, but Anderson continues to enjoy his weekly association with his club members and supports the goals of Rotary International through generous donations to Rotary International programs, including Polio Plus.
Nicknamed “Andy” since childhood, he began his more than 10 decades of life in the tiny community of Oasis (near Delta) in March of 1912. He spent his first 19 years on the family farm before taking on a variety of odd jobs up and down the Pacific Coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In 1933, he began a career with Chevron, during which time he met and married June Diebold, who he considered his “best friend and partner for nearly 70 years” until her passing in 2008. A veteran of World War II, Anderson served in the U. S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific. After the war ended, he and June owned and operated a service station in California for several years, then changed careers to real estate.
St. George Rotary Club is one of four Rotary clubs in Washington County and one of more than 34,000 clubs in the world.
St. George Rotary is comprised of local business, civic and education leaders in the community dedicated to Rotary International’s motto of “service above self.”
Rotarians in more than 200 countries work together to improve the world through club, community, vocational and international service.