Earnest Richard 'Ernie' Anderson, 46

Ernie Anderson was hit by a car in downtown Spokane, Wash., and succumbed to his injuries nine days later, on June 25, 2023, at Sacred Heart Medical Center. He was 46 years old.

A remembrance service will be held on Aug. 12, 2023, at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1900 Pine St., Sandpoint, Idaho, at 11 a.m. All are welcome.

At nine years of age, Ernie was adopted with his two brothers and sister from the state of Alabama by LeRoy and Marilyn Anderson of Sandpoint. At the news of his adoption, Ernie wrote in his first letter to his new parents, "I think I will like to live where there is snow. We don’t see much here."

He was riddled with medical problems in his younger years but began to thrive in his new environment. Despite his diagnosed condition of femoral anteversion and spastic diplegia in his legs, he still enjoyed riding his scooter and playing on youth basketball teams.

School teachers described him as a wonderful child, hard-working, conscientious, and having an excellent attitude, which was characteristic of him all the way through to his graduation from Sandpoint High School.

Ernie was close with his siblings, and they enjoyed roaming around on their parents’ 10 acres out in the country and swimming at Sandpoint City Beach. They loved chess and were very competitive in school tournaments.

Ernie was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church, where he and his family attended.

After high school, Ernie moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to pursue his dream of becoming a cook. He worked for restaurants such as Tomato Street and Perkins, and had been working in the kitchen at long-term care facilities in Spokane.

Ernie was preceded in death by his grandma, Meryl Huffman; and father, LeRoy Anderson. He is survived by his mother, Marilyn Anderson; and his siblings, David Anderson, Darryl Anderson, Larry Anderson, John Anderson, Patricia Roth, Harold Anderson, and their families.

It is the family’s wish that memorial donations be made to the Union Gospel Mission in Ernie’s name by going to uniongospelmission.org/donate.