Wayne Bartley “Bart” Anderson, 62, of Newport, Wash., a former resident of North Powder and Baker City, died July 4, 2007, at Newport, Wash.
There will be a memorial service and celebration of Bart’s life at 1 p.m. Sunday at Newport, Wash. Call 509-447-4391 for directions or more information.
Bart was born on June 13, 1945, to Erv and June Anderson. He was the second of six children and graduated from East High School at Salt Lake City.
During his early adult life at Salt Lake and Park City, Utah, Bart owned a stereo store, was a gourmet chef, ran a construction company and worked as an artist and musician. He also met and married his wife, Larrie, and helped raise her son, Greer.
For 17 years, Bart operated Oak Furniture where he designed and built custom furniture. After practicing meditation for many years, he started teaching meditation classes at the request of friends and acquaintances.
Next he began facilitating weekend workshops based on his understanding of Eastern and Native American traditions. He closed Oak Furniture to teach full time in 1987.
He married his second wife, Debbie Taylor, and helped raise her children, Monique and James Allen. Bart and his family moved to North Powder and then to Baker City. Soon afterward, he started the community-based Bear Creek Woodworks, where he designed and manufactured pine and juniper pole furniture.
After their children went to college, Bart and Debbie divorced. A short time later, Bart moved to Waitsburg, Wash. In 2004, he started a subsistence farm with several of his students and a real estate remodeling business.
He also worked with his students to pass on his spiritual teachings and to show them a rich and beautiful way to live, family members said. During this time, he enjoyed fishing, wood and leather sculpture, making furniture, raising farm animals, gardening, cooking and spending time with his friends and children.
He recently moved to Newport, Wash., to expand his subsistence and community-based farm to the next level.
Survivors include Monique and James and Greer; and his siblings, Paul, Michael, Joseph and Cathy.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 12, 2007
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor