Fonds med-639 - Bud Anderson family fonds

Lawrence Dean (Bud) Anderson was born in 1922 in Maple Creek, the eldest son of Charles and Rosa Anderson. His father, Charles, was born in 1897 of Scottish parents who immigrated to Big Island, Lake Ontario in 1906 and, when the prairies opened up to settlers, moved west to Maple Creek in about 1912. One of the ranchers that Charles worked for was John Lawrence, Jr., one of the first Maple Creek ranchers. It was there he met his future wife, Rosa Marguerite (born 1899), the second daughter of John and Mary Lawrence and they were married in 1916. Charles joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 49th Battalion in 1915, served overseas (28th Battalion) and was wounded and discharged in 1919. On his return home, Charles took agricultural and steam engineering courses in Saskatoon. For a few years, Charles worked for John Lawrence Jr. again, but eventually acquired and settled on his own land seven miles south of Maple Creek. Here Charles and Rosa raised a family of four children, Venus (1917), Jean (1919), Lawrence Dean (Bud) (1922) and Bruce Leslie (1924). Bud, along with his siblings, attended Smithfield School which served a large district as school, church and recreational centre. After school, Bud went to Calgary to learn the machinist trade both before and after his stint in the Navy in 1942 and 1943. Whilst working for the CPR Locomotive Shop in Calgary, Bud met and married Rosemary (nee Metcalfe) in 1946 and they came home to Maple Creek to take over the family ranch. Rosemary learnt how to adapt to being a rancher's wife with the help and guidance of her in-laws, as well as raising three children, Wayne Lawrence (1948), Ellen Mary (1950) and Deanna Grace (1959). Bud and Rosemary bought the ranch in 1950, expanded it further, and named it Spring Valley Ranch. Bud was very active in the community. He was elected to the RM Council in 1950, serving continuously for 27 years as both a Councillor and the Reeve; he was on the Hospital Board for 18 years; a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shrine Club and Rotary Club, as well as a member of the Elks. After forty years of ranching, Bud and Rosemary sold the ranch in 1986 and went their separate ways. Bud now lives in Medicine Hat and Rosemary in Maple Creek.