Anson, Peter Waller died peacefully Thursday, January 17 at age 91, surrounded by his wife Sally and 4 children, following a long struggle with dementia. Peter was born May 6, 1927 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Emerit and Olga Waller Anson and the brother of Cordelia Anson. His love of exploration and travel began as a boy of just 7, when he accompanied his mother and grandmother on trips to China, India and Europe. In June 1945 he graduated from St. Paul Academy, which he had attended since kindergarten and where he developed many close lifelong friendships. Peter was drafted upon high school graduation and served in the Navy for one year before entering Princeton University in 1946. Following his Princeton graduation in 1950, Peter worked in Kewanee, Illinois and then New York City for Boss Manufacturing, his family's work glove manufacturing company. Realizing that work gloves were not his future, Peter studied law first in NYU night classes and in 1955 graduated from Yale Law School where he was a member of the Yale Law Review. Peter married Sally Ankeny on July 21, 1955. He always said it was the best thing he ever did. Peter and Sally settled in New York City and Peter began his law career at Cravath, Swaine and Moore. Cathy, Michael and David were born during these years. In 1961 he and Sally returned "home" to Minnesota. Leslie joined the family and Peter joined Faegre & Benson as a corporate lawyer, later becoming a partner. Peter loved the intellectual, logical and problem - solving aspects of the law. He also served on the original planning and fundraising board of Minneapolis Children's Hospital and on the boards of Washburn Child Guidance Center and the Minnesota Nature Conservancy. Following retirement in 1985, Peter embarked on many adventures, including five treks in the Himalayas and hiking expeditions in Morocco and Patagonia. His love of the history of exploration also led him, Sally and friends to the Artic, the American West and Europe. Peter had a life-long love of learning and attended courses well in to his 80s. He was a voracious reader of history. He loved fixing and building things, he designed jewelry, could repair a car, build the best fires and pitch any tent and taught his children to do the same. He took them on countless camping, canoeing, fishing and hunting trips. Peter's land near Marine on the St. Croix was his love and passion for decades. In order to protect it, he gifted it to the people of Minnesota as part of Wm. O'Brien State Park. Peter was a wonderful husband, a loving father and a great friend. He had a fabulous sense of humor, a strong sense of fairness and a deep sense of integrity. Peter is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sally, and his children and grandchildren: Catherine (Peter Vaughan) Elliot, Angus, Carl; Michael (Nancy) Paul, Nora; David (Nancy) Colin, Trevor; Leslie von Wangenheim (Detlev) Theresa, Constantin, and one great-granddaughter (Molly Anson). Our heartfelt thanks and deepest respect go to his caretakers, Monica, Jean, Dee, Barb, Matt, Fatou, Margaret and Solomon whose care and affection made them part of our family and to Brighton Hospice. A memorial service will be held on February 16th at 11am at the Woman's Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St., Mpls, MN 55403. Memorials preferred to The Nature Conservancy of Minnesota, 1101 W. River Pkwy, Suite 200, Mpls., MN, 55415, or online at bit.ly/AnsonTNC.

Published on February 14, 2019