Eugene LeRoy Anderson

Eugene LeRoy Anderson, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather — known affectionately as Gene — passed away unexpectedly at the age of 86 on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at Holy Cross Hospital in Layton, Utah. Earlier that day he had suffered a head injury from a fall at his Sunset, Utah home. His loving family members include his devoted wife, Colleen, his eight children Scott (Lorna) Anderson, Todd (Karma) Anderson, Micki (Rob) Kinch, Michelle (John) Clark, Colette (Craig) Layton, Tim (Andrea) Tsosie, Mark (Shelly) Anderson, Sherri (Joseph) Judd, 36 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

Gene was born on October 28, 1939 in Salt Lake City, Utah to parents LeRoy Anderson and Gladys Larsen. LeRoy and Gladys are both descendants of Utah pioneers from Denmark and England who crossed the plains in wagons and handcarts to make their homes along the Wasatch Front. Gene was the eldest of four children including Clair (Judy) Anderson, Terry Anderson, and Kayleen (Dan) Whitelock.

Gene learned the value of hard work at an early age, working the summers helping his uncles sheepherding in the Manti-Lasal National Forest, working multiple paper routes and selling snacks to local construction workers. Through these early endeavors he earned enough money to help take care of his family, buying his mother a new set of bedroom furniture when he was 17 years old. Gene met the love of his life, Colleen Workman, at West High School in Salt Lake City, and they were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on June 5, 1959.

Shortly after graduating from West High School, Gene took over operations of his first Service Station on North Temple Street and 2nd West in Salt Lake City. Always a fiercely independent self-employed entrepreneur, from this humble beginning, Gene added additional service stations and a tire store to his operations in the Salt Lake City area. Later, the family relocated to Sevier County, Utah where he owned and operated service stations in Richfield and then Salina, Utah.

While Gene was always known for working hard, he was also known for playing just as hard, and he enjoyed hunting, snowmobiling, water skiing, motorcycle riding, off-roading in his jeeps, four-wheeling and enjoying the mountains surrounding Ferron Reservoir and his cabin in the mountains surrounding his water-skiing base at Pineview Reservoir. Dad and his great friend, Dennis Crane, were the backbone of the three-man Snowmobile Racing Team that won the Utah State Cross Country Snowmobile Championship in 1978.

The life of Gene and his family were greatly challenged when Gene and Colleen were involved in a devastating dune buggy accident at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes near Kanab, Utah in 1979. Gene suffered severe head trauma from this accident and was life-flighted to the LDS hospital in Salt Lake City where family members were told that he would not survive. Only through the blessings of God, Gene’s unyielding determination and the love and support of his wife, family, and friends was Gene able to make it through a very difficult recovery from this accident. The miracle of his recovery enabled our family and friends to have the blessing of having Gene in our lives an additional 48 years after the medical experts said he would never make it.

Always active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gene served in many callings over the years, but he especially loved teaching Sunday School and taking his Sunday School classes on water-skiing and snowmobiling trips. Gene and Colleen served for 13 years in the Ogden, Utah temple and they also served a 1.5 year mission together in the Ogden, Utah Mission.

Gene and Colleen moved to their home in Sunset, Utah in 1997 where the focus of their lives continued to be on their family. One of the highlights of Gene’s life was his 80th birthday when Gene, Colleen and all of their children attended the Salt Lake City Temple together.

We will miss you greatly, Dad, and we look forward to reuniting with you and all of our family for all eternity.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Sunset First Ward building, 2432 North 250 West, Sunset, Utah. Friends may visit with family on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment and dedication of the grave will take place on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Memorial Redwood Cemetery at the Meditation Garden, 6500 Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah.

Arrangements entrusted to Lindquist’s Roy Mortuary.