Bertie L. Anderson

Bertie L. Anderson, 98, of East Moline, Illinois, passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Silvis Center, Silvis, Illinois.

Services to celebrate Bertie’s life will be announced in the near future.  Memorials may be made to Honor Flight of the Quad Cities.

The former Bertie Lorraine Wright was born January 17, 1928, in Folkston, Georgia, the daughter of Charles Maxwell and Lola (White) Wright. She married Carl Leonard “Andy” Anderson on December 23, 1943, in Jacksonville, Florida. The couple raised three children and shared over 51 years of happy marriage prior to Carl’s passing on July 19, 1995. She later married Willis Olson, and they shared 13 years together before his passing on November 26, 2010.

Bertie held a variety of jobs throughout her life. She was a security guard at the Rock Island Arsenal, spent 15 years helping her husband, Andy, farm on the family farm in Orion, Illinois, and later worked as a ward secretary at Lutheran Hospital. Beyond her career, Bertie took great pride in being a devoted wife, mother, and most importantly, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She was a talented seamstress and a terrific cook, known for preparing special “birthday meals” for family members. Among friends and family—and even her “second family” at the YMCA—she was fondly known as the “crisp lady,” famous for baking apple, rhubarb, and cherry crisp to share with others.

Bertie is survived by three children, Lori Anderson of Denver, Colorado, Penny and Kenny Knox of East Moline, and Ken and Mary Anderson of Aurora, Colorado; her pride and joy, six grandchildren, Wendy (Ricardo) Salazar of Raleigh, North Carolina, Christopher (Amber) Welvaert of Eldridge, Iowa, Andrew (Maggie) Knox of Hampton, South Carolina, Lucas (Alexa) Knox of New Boston, Illinois, Emily (Adam) Melnick of Denver, and Liz (Travis) Tamlin of Denver; her 12 beloved great-grandchildren, Lauren Birtie Salazar, Ricardo Salazar, Jr., Denver and Carson Welvaert, Joshua, Rowan, and Olivia Knox, Kallen and Lainey Knox, Seth and Rose Melnick, and Jenni Tamlin; and her sister-in-law, Irene Hanssen of Blue Grass, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Andy Anderson and Willis Olson; brothers, Max, William, and James Wright; and sisters, Arlene Brown, Ruth Messer, Grace Denney, and Lola Wright.

The family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.