Bernie Leroy Anderson

Our beloved Bernie L. Anderson passed away peacefully at home on January 4, 2019 surrounded by his family. Born of Swedish heritage in Oak Park, Minnesota on September 22, 1937 to Rudolph “Rudy” Anderson and Helen (Nelson) Anderson, he was the second eldest of twelve children. He graduated from Winnebago High School and attended the University of Minnesota. In 1958 he moved to Orange County, California where he would meet his future wife, Connie Downer of Balboa Island.

Throughout his life he was physically active, both as a participant and a fan of sports. For so many years he frequently, along with family and close family friends, went on water skiing and dirt biking excursions. For over two decades, he organized the annual Ghost Rider Enduro for the Training Wheels Motorcycle Club with his life-long pals Ned Jones and Royce English. He also looked forward to watching college and high school sports, and the methanol-fueled dirt bikes at Speedway. He followed Costa Mesa High School Football, Orange Coast College Men’s and Vanguard’s Women’s basketball teams. And, with his brother Darwin, he followed the women of Vanguard to two NAIA final four basketball tournaments.

Tinkering and fabricating was in his blood and with his skilled hands he completed countless projects ranging from home improvements and backyard hardscaping to garage organizing and all manner of things mechanical to several innovative sports-related contraptions. Friendly and affable by nature, he was sought by family and friends to help fix broken down motorcycles and jet boats. He leveraged his people skills and mechanical aptitude in a 37-year career with Sully-Miller in the heavy equipment construction and road building business.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years Connie, daughter Jody Anderson (Roubanis), sons Todd and Eric Anderson, granddaughter Jessica Engelbart, grandsons Aris and Alex Roubanis, and great-granddaughter Emma Marie Roubanis; brothers Lowell, Vincent, Darwin, Roger, Joel, Ross, Rollie and Royce, and sister Merodie.

Services honoring Bernie Anderson will be held on March 29, 2019 as follows.

1:00 PM Chapel Service – Chapel at Harbor Lawn, 1625 Gisler Avenue, Costa Mesa CA 92626

2:00 PM Honor Guard – Graveside at Harbor Lawn, 1625 Gisler Avenue, Costa Mesa CA 92626

3:00 PM Buffett & Remembrance – Halecrest Park, 3107 Killybrooke Lane, Costa Mesa CA 92626 at the “Old Clubhouse”