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Torsten Anderson’s Legacy Continues in Dundy County

The spirit of giving goes beyond the holiday season in Dundy County. That philanthropic spirit is exemplified by the numerous family foundations and memorial trusts that continue to provide great amounts of money for local scholarships, community projects, organizational needs, and other endeavors.
The Torsten Anderson Fund is a great example of the giving.
Torsten passed away on March 9, 2013. He was just four months shy of his 105th birthday. He was born in 1908 in Osthamar, Sweden. His uncle, Sanford Stoneberg, emigrated from Sweden in 1886 and established a ranching operation in Dundy County. During one of Sanford’s visits to Sweden, it was decided that Torsten and his older brother, Bill, would join their uncle in America. After reaching the United States through Ellis Island, 17-year-old Torsten and 21-year-old Bill arrived in Max, in December 1925. They made their home on the ranch northwest of Max and began learning the language, customs and routines of rural life. Torsten served as a director of State Bank in Benkelman for 22 years, on the board of trustees of the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home, as the treasurer of Rural School District 10 and on the Dundy County Cemetery Board. He also established a charitable gift annuity with Methodist Hospital Foundation.
Torsten’s giving has been well documented and is continuing well after his death. Since December 22, 2016 to the end of 2019, the Torsten Anderson Fund has benefited over a dozen local programs and organizations. Those included: The Dundy County Historical Society and Museum, the Dundy County Library Foundation, the Dundy County Hospital Foundation, the Max Community Club, the Max Street Light Fund, the Dundy County Senior Center, the Benkelman Rural Fire Department, the Max United Methodist Church, the Hester Memorial Home, the Dundy County Stratton School District #117 Foundation, the Benkelman Golf Club, and the Benkelman fitness center.
The Benkelman Community Foundation is charged with identifying and selecting the local projects and initiatives to receive monies from the Torsten Anderson Fund.
The Torsten Anderson Fund is just one example of the numerous foundations/funds that support Dundy County. The benefits and impacts of the giving by the Raile Collinsville Foundation, the Hester Foundation, the Hansen Foundation, and the Torsten Anderson Funds are great and spread over a large variety of programs and organizations. There are very few, if any other rural Nebraska communities that are fortunate to have the number of supporting foundations/funds that Dundy County does. Those families and individuals who had the vision, the generosity, and understanding of how they could impact the future of their county and communities is nothing short of remarkable.

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