Saundra Anderson

Once upon a snowy March day, high in the hills of Salt Lake City, a woman found peace in the embrace of the land she loved. On March 22, 2023, Saundra Anderson stepped into the eternal, leaving behind a life story woven with love, laughter, and adventure. She took her final breath at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, as Glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, claimed her body but not her spirit.

Born in Salt Lake City on February 9, 1951, Saundra was the middle child of Arthur and Betty Jane Carlston. Her childhood was a symphony of laughter and mischief, filled with fly balls at the local park and defending her neighborhood from evil with the pen knife she won from a gumball machine. Saundra and her brothers Terry and Mike built a bond as strong as the mountains surrounding them.

As she grew, Saundra found solace in the gardens of her grandmother Hilda, who taught her the beauty of tending to the earth. Though her parents' divorce brought shadows to her heart, her love for gardening became a beacon of light throughout her life. The bond with her family only grew stronger, despite playful chases with snakes, which left her with a lifelong fear of the slithering creatures.

Saundra's pursuit of higher education led her to the University of Utah, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Recreational Therapy in 1975. She started her career in Salt Lake City, working in various facilities for people with disabilities. Three years later, in 1978, she took a leap of faith and moved to Lander, WY, to work as a recreational therapist at the Wyoming State School. It was in Lander where she met Michael Anderson, her future husband. They tied the knot on January 5, 1980, at the Salt Lake City Temple, and by December 1983, she realized she had made a grave mistake. Lander received 14 feet of snow and multiple days with temperatures near -40 degrees that winter. Mike was great, though.

In 1987, Saundra and Michael welcomed their son, Matt, into the world. Her heart swelled with joy as she became a stay-at-home mom, later returning to work in special education at the Fremont County School District, where she remained for 20 years until retirement. Her love for children with disabilities extended beyond the classroom, touching the lives of her great-niece Abby and countless others.

Saundra loved to travel, and travel she did! With the wind as her compass, she ventured through forty states and many national parks. She had a tender heart, and she worried that her trusty automobile's tires might feel neglected if they weren't rolling down the open road.

Saundra was no stranger to grand adventures. She had hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, descended to the depths of the Grand Canyon, ascended the mighty peaks of the Wind Rivers, roamed the sculpted terrain of Arches, and surveyed the breathtaking vistas of Canyonlands. Her most cherished companions on these journeys were her brothers, Terry and Mike, and her beloved son, Matt.

Saundra reveled in the smooth course of her travels, but it was young Matt who cherished the delightful mishaps they encountered along the way. There was the time they lost their keys in South Carolina, the midnight quest for gasoline in The Bronx, and the time their dog Max turned the truck into a veritable snow globe with naught but a feather pillow at Yellowstone. And who could forget that one-hour drive to see Free Willy in Oregon that somehow stretched into a twelve-hour odyssey?

Just a week before fate dealt Saundra a most unkind hand, she was weaving her way through the bustling streets of Los Angeles, riding the Metro like a seasoned commuter. She scaled the Hollywood hills and took time to cheer on the Utah Utes in "The Grandaddy of Them All," the annual Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. Little did she know, a battle with brain cancer lay just around the bend.

Her love for adventure was only rivaled by her dedication to her community. Saundra served on the Lander recreation board, the Lander school board, the Hudson town council, and contributed to various projects for the Lander Recreation Department. She was a distinguished Cub Scout leader, election judge, and Wyoming Special Olympics ski team coach.

Saundra's faith played a significant role in her life, as she was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served in many leadership roles and found immense joy in teaching young children.

In her final days, Saundra reflected on her life, exclaiming that her last year had been her "best year yet." Her stubborn nature and fierce love for her friends and family brought light to her life until the very end.

She leaves behind her husband Mike, son Matt, brother Terry, and many other relatives and dear friends. A funeral service is scheduled for April 20, 2023, at 10:00 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 653 Cascade St., Lander, WY. Loved ones are welcome to arrive between 9:00 am and 9:45 am. Her ashes will be spread at her beloved spot, Arches National Park in Moab, Utah.

Instead of flowers, Saundra asked for donations to the American Cancer Society - Hope Lodge in Salt Lake City, UT, which provided her with free lodging during her cancer treatment. Donations can be made through Hudson's Funeral Home or directly through the American Cancer Society.

And so, as Saundra's story ends, we remember the love she shared, the adventures she took, and the lives she touched. Her legacy shall live on in the hearts of those who knew her, like the eternal mountains she called home.

Please sign the online guestbook: hudsonsfh.com.