Pearl Agate Beatrice Helle Andersen was born on April 24, 1918 in Albert Lea, the daughter of John and Gena (Hafstad) Helle. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1935. Following high school Pearl attended teacher’s training in Austin. She taught rural country school in Freeborn County.  On January 13, 1940 Pearl was united in marriage to Jay Andersen. They farmed together in the Emmons, Glenville, and St. Charles areas, and eventually settled in New Richland. Pearl then worked as a nursing assistant at St. John’s Lutheran Home and the New Richland Care Center.  She was a volunteer at St. John’s for many years. Pearl was an excellent cook.  Her bread, buns, and lefse were infamous among her family.  She loved birds, trees, rocks, traveling, history and collecting, with a large marble collection being her last.  Pearl was a bible scholar and teacher who loved her church family, circle and quilting group.  Pearl loved spending time with her family especially with her grandchildren.  She will be deeply missed.

Survivors include her children Jon (Teresa) Andersen of Albert Lea, Suzanne (Tom) Zeller of Hugo, MN, and Kristin Higginbotham of St. Peter, MN; grandchildren Victoria (Andy Sharp) Andersen, Sabrina Andersen, Shane (Dena) Moore, Simon (Dan) Boler, Monte Byron, Nichole (Stefan) Schwartzwald, Jade Zeller, Callie (Erik Mead) Higginbotham, Abby (Mark Krogmann) Higginbotham, and Britta Higginbotham; great-grandchildren Taylor and Jackson Sharp, Charlotte and Sarabeth Moore, Fiona, Tierney, Maeve, and Kaelin Boler, Gabriel, Vivian, and Luciana Byron; sister Evelyn (Carl) Larsen of Albert Lea, sisters-in-law; Rita Andersen, Albert Lea and  Margaret (Don) Hanson of Los Alamos, NM; brother-in-law, Tom Bresee of CA. and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pearl was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jay, son Perry Andersen, and her sister Arlene Mason.