Sidney Bakken Anderson

Sidney Bakken Anderson (89) of Grand Forks, ND died May 30, 2017 at home surrounded by family and under the care of Hospice.   Sid started this life on August 25, 1927 in Northwood, ND, the only son of Nels Anderson and Clara (Bakken) Anderson. He enjoyed an idyllic childhood, roaming the prairie, hunting and fishing, and learning to fly - emulating his hero Carl Ben Eielson.   He graduated from Finley High school in 1945. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained on Lake Superior (1945-1946), graduating just as the war ended. He attended the University of North Dakota, graduating in 1951 with a Ph.B. in Geology.   Sid married Mary Fleener of Wadena, MN in 1955, and the couple made their home in Grand Forks, ND.   Joining the U.S. Geological Survey in Grand Forks, ND, Sid served as Chief of the Subsurface Division of the N.D.G.S. for nearly thirty-nine years, and as Acting State Geologist for North Dakota from 1985 until his retirement in 1990. Sid’s knowledge of the geology of the Williston Basin remains unparalleled; his research on the project is documented in an extensive series of publications dating to 1954. Many of these contributions are co-authored with other N.D.G.S. personnel or with University of North Dakota students: as Adjunct Associate Faculty at UND, Sid willingly shared his knowledge and numerous students received guidance from him on their thesis or class projects.   Sid joined many organizations throughout the community, serving faithfully as an Elder at The First Presbyterian Church, and as a member of the Scottish Rite, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, UND Alumni Association, the Grand Forks Gun Club (life member), and the American Legion (72 years).   He enjoyed vacations at the lake with family, his dogs, fishing and hunting, trap shooting, playing Trivial Pursuit, and reading history and biographies. Sid will be remembered as a quiet and unassuming man, with wry sense of humor (he loved Ole and Lena jokes!), a deep love of family, and a strong faith in God. It is a tribute to Sid to say that everyone liked him.   Sid is survived by his wife, Mary, of Grand Forks; daughters Jennifer (Richard) Jorde of Grand Forks, and Karen (Douglas) Anderson-Dent of Fergus Falls, MN; his grandchildren, Sydney Hegland of Montreal, Canada, Madalyn and Jonathan Dent of Fergus Falls, MN; and numerous cousins.   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The First Presbyterian Church of Grand Forks, ND. Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 3, 2017 at the 1st Presbyterian Church 5555 S. Washington St. in Grand Forks.Visitation: One hour prior to the service in the church.Interment: Silent Hill Cemetery, Rural Sharon, ND.