Jessie Dean Anderson

Jessie Dean Hillman Anderson Jessie Dean Hillman Anderson was born March 28, 1931, in Spiro, Le Flore County, Oklahoma, to Jesse William Hillman and Elva Margaret Gabbard Hillman. She peacefully joined her husband, Harry Earl (Andy) Anderson, in Heaven from her home of 56 years in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on March 18, 2022. Until 1947, Jessie grew up and attended school in Corcoran, California. Earl and Jessie were married on March 31, 1947, in Hanford, California. They remained married for 62 years, until Earl's passing in 2009. The business Earl worked for shut down, so he moved the family to Klamath Falls, where he owned and operated a truck stop seven miles north of town for 35 years. Jessie sold Avon for a couple years (she was her own best customer) and wrapped Christmas presents at Bell's Hardware in downtown Klamath Falls. She would talk about the strange gifts she wrapped -- including snow shovels! -- and made them all look pretty. Jessie's main job was a "stay a home mom." In fact, she was the "neighborhood mom." The kids would come to her house for Band-Aids when their mothers were working. She kept fresh fruit for the children whose mothers couldn't afford to buy any. She would also buy clothing for kids that needed it. The house was always full of kids and relatives. There was always plenty of food and room for all, even if it was just a sleeping bag on the floor. Stopping by or staying over only had one rule... and it was Jessie's #1 rule: NEVER eat the last of Earl's ice cream! Jessie was a member of the First Baptist Church, a Girl Scout leader for 14 years, a charter member of the Klamath Basin Genealogical Society. Her passion was to collect dolls, cookbooks, antiques and collections (such as baseball cards). She loved doing anything artistic, going to garage sales, decorating her home, working on genealogy, traveling to Arkansas and Kentucky for family visits and family history and hosting family dinners. Yes, JESSIE LOVED FAMILY! Jessie was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Earl (Andy) Anderson, infant son Harold Richard Anderson, grandparents Ollie & Maurice Gabbard, parents Jesse & Elva Hillman, stepfather Ray Yarbrough, siblings Gene Hillman, Ollie Ray (Jody) Divins, Reba Fay Stone, Donald Hillman, Dennis Duane Yarbrough and Darrel Glen Yarbrough, and nieces Darla Divins and Regina (Donnie) Divins. She is survived by daughters and sons-in-law Andrea Anderson & Mike Baldwin and Rhonda Anderson Owens & Dennis Vaught; grandchildren and spouses Richard & Bobbie Barnum, Alyse & Gene Keough and Nathan & Jennifer Owens; great grandchildren Robert & Katie Barnum and Alexander & Korra Owens of Klamath Falls, and Kat, Austin & Rhianna Barnum of Portland, Oregon; half brother Eldon & Reva Yarbrough of Prineville, Oregon; nephews and nieces Timothy John Divins of Hanford, Rick & Sherry Hillman of LaPine, Oregon, Sheryl Johnson of Phoenix, Oregon, Valeri Benack & Steven Davis of Bakersfield, California, Vonda Degree of Austin, Texas, and Naomi Hollet of Arizona. Jessie's Celebration of Life will be held today, Friday, March 25, 2022, at O'Hair-Ward's Funeral Home, 515 Pine Street, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601.