Emma Anderson

SUN PRAIRIE/MADISON - Amelia ""Emma"" Mary (Stonchus) Anderson, age 91, passed away on July 18, 2011 at St. Mary's Hospital.
Emma was born February 11, 1920 in Du Bois, PA, the daughter of Felix Paul Stonchus and Anna Kaminiskaite Good. She was married August 20, 1940 to Rudolph Harry Eric Anderson in Crown Point, IN. Emma was a devout Catholic, loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Her greatest joy was having her children and grandchildren around her, regardless of the resulting turmoil, noise and chaos. Her most memorable moment in recent years was when she celebrated her 90th birthday at the Oak Park Nursing home, surrounded by family members, including many nieces and nephews, and friends from all over the USA.
She was the last surviving child of six children born to an immigrant family from Lithuania. Emma lived in Du Bois as a child and moved to Chicago, IL in the early 1930s where she attended Kelly High School. During her life, she also lived in Calumet City, IL; Vero Beach, FL; Mooseheart, Il; Tampa, FL; Fayetteville, NC; Augusta, GA; Monterey, CA; Sun Prairie, WI; and Madison, WI.
She worked in several occupations during her life. The most recent were as a telephone switchboard operator in Mooseheart, IL and as a resident manager in a senior citizen community in Tampa, FL. She spent many of her later years caring for the children of her son Phil and his wife Pat, while both were serving as U.S. Army officers.
Emma traveled to Hawaii, and Germany, Switzerland and Italy to visit sons in the military. She drove throughout most of the eastern United States, and traveled to Las Vegas NV, and San Diego, CA. After losing her mobility and most of her vision, she became an avid ""reader."" During the last four or five years of her life, she listened to approximately 2,000 audio books.
Emma is survived by sons Donald (Rose) in Cheyenne, WO, Wayne (Nina) in San Diego, CA, Phillip (Patricia) in Sun Prairie, WI, and son Jeffrey and daughter Judith, both from Madison; grandchildren, Leif (Nicole) Anderson, Cherry-Rose ( Aaron) Brockett, Lara (Al) Tarrillo, Stephanie Anderson, James, Thomas and Jennifer Anderson; great grandchildren, Parker and Maren Anderson, Jasper and Eliza Brockett; Alina, Chase and Deegan Tarrillo, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Rudy, on Sep 1, 1968; brother, Phil (Mary) Stonchus; Sisters, Helen (Frank) Horn, Bea (Jack) Dziver, Agnes Stonchus, and Irene (Paul) Noe.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 11:00 AM at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, 2420 St. Albert Drive, Sun Prairie. A memorial visitation will also be held at the church on Saturday from 10:00 AM until the time of Mass. Msgr. Terry Connors will celebrate.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Hope 2 Others or the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library.