By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield resident Signe Anderson is turning 100 years old on May 2 and has spent the majority of those years – 94 to be exact – serving God; a pledge she made at a young age of six.

Anderson was born in Door County on May 2, 1920. She spent her youth there where she said her fondest memories were of “gathering at Christmas time with cousins.”

“I grew up in a cherry tree because summers were always spent picking cherries,” she added.

At the young age of 11, Signe lost her mother. She said that after her father remarried “things changed,” but she had already “given her life to Christ” and continued to “strive to do what was right.”

Local centenarian, Signe Anderson, right, “grew up in a cherry tree” and enjoyed spending time with cousins. Submitted photo.

Anderson graduated from high school in Door County and moved to Chicago where she lived with family and took care of their children for a few years. She then moved in with four of her cousins while she began working for the Sloane Valve Company, making parts of the Air Force during World War II.

Anderson attended night school while working in Chicago and later returned home to help take care of her ill father.

She completed her education at Bethel College in St. Paul, graduating in 1951.

In 1952, Signe met and began traveling with two women, canvassing for a group called God’s Invasion Army.

In 1953, Signe moved to Marshfield, along with three other unmarried women. Here, they began a group together dedicated to serving God, called the Rural Bible Crusade (RBC) – a movement began back in 1937 by J. Lloyd Hunter in Wheaton, IL – now headquartered in Marshfield.

Signe devoted 67 years to serving God and the children of Wisconsin, through the organization.

Anderson has seen many changes – one of the most significant is transportation. Signe recalls how horse and buggy was the mode of transportation and now “we can put a man on the moon. “

She also reflects on growing up on a farm where her father had to milk cows by hand, living in a house with no running water.

Signe has a flip-style phone that she rarely uses and feels that the advancement of technology has led to less privacy in our lives.

Signe Anderson still serves RBC on the board of directors.