Mildred E. Anderson, 86, of Owatonna, died Friday, December 12, 2008 at the Homestead Hospice House. Mildred Elaine Ahlfs was born April 15, 1922 in Kandiyohi, Minnesota the daughter of Christian and Anna (Caspers) Ahlfs. She was raised and attended school in the Kandiyohi area and graduated from high school in Clara City, MN. She was united in marriage to Gudwin Anderson on December 31, 1944 in Crow River Lutheran Church, Belgrade, MN. They lived in Belgrade before moving to Waite Park, MN. They then moved to St. Cloud and then to Austin, MN where she worked for Sears. He died in 1975. In 1978, Mildred moved to Roseville, MN where she continued to work for Sears. In 1998 she moved to Owatonna. Mildred enjoyed reading, knitting, crocheting and traveling in her early years with her granddaughters. She also enjoyed spending time with her family, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by four sons, Don (and Beverly) Anderson of Owatonna; Robert (and Chong) Anderson of West Chester, OH; Dale (and Pat) Anderson of Anchorage, AK; Kim (and Rhonda) Anderson of Steubensville, OH; two daughters, Marsha (and Reb) Hanson-Bowman of Plymouth, MN; Jan Smith of Owatonna and a sister, Doris Grippo of Clearwater, FL. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her husband Gudwin, her parents, a brother, John and two sisters, Martha Carney and Evelyn Dahlgren. Private family services will be held Sunday, December 14 at St. John Lutheran Church with Pastor Dave Klawiter officiating. Interment will be in the Crow River Lutheran Cemetery in Belgrade at a later date.