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John B. Anderson, of West Des Moines (formerly Storm Lake), died June 7, 2017, at Edgewater Retirement Community.

John Burroughs Anderson was born on January 13, 1923, in Webster County, Iowa, to Paul and Mabel (Johnson) Anderson. John graduated from Gowrie Consolidated School in 1941 and Iowa State University in 1949 with a B.S. in agricultural journalism. He married Shirley JoAnn Dankel in Lake View on August 24, 1952. 

John spent his career operating community newspapers in Iowa and received the Master Editor-Publisher Award from the Iowa Newspaper Association in 1977. He started as a reporter/editor in Eagle Grove, then owned and operated newspapers in Britt and Storm Lake. He was a stockholder in newspapers in Dyersville and Waukon. In 1966, he served on the staff for Murray for Governor. 

For many years, he served as president of the J.S. Anderson Farm Corp., overseeing the Century Farm in Clay Township, Webster County, where he was born and that was purchased by his grandfather in 1884. He was dedicated to community activities in the towns where he operated newspapers.

John is survived by daughters Elizabeth Anderson (Loren Kruse), Ankeny; Krista Packard (Guy), Holland, Mich.; and Janet Fry (Steve), Waukee; sister Margaret Paulos, Davenport; and grandchildren Chris Packard, John Kruse, Erin Fry, Anne Packard, Kate (Drew) Warnock, and Kyra Fry, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, parents, one brother, and three sisters.

Upon his death, an endowed gift was made to the [Anderson-Kruse Fund for Excellence in News-Editorial Writing]( https://greenlee.iastate.edu/2017/09/26/anderson-kruse-family-gift-will-support-greenlee-students-through-scholarships-program-development/) to support students through scholarship, internship support and other initiatives and improvements.