Nanette (Nan) Rita (Habert) Anderson was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Elroy E. Habert and Ethel Rita (Ann) Flemming on July 17th 1930. She died on August 7th, 2026 shortly after her 96th birthday. Her mother, Ethel died after childbirth with her sister, Donna in 1934 and she was raised by her paternal Grandmother and Grandfather until 1940. She was introduced to her new step mother, Sophie B. (Mueller) Habert after a brief, secret, courtship and wedding.

Nanette completed Nursing School at St. John School of Nursing in 1953 and interned at Western Reserve University part-time from 1954 to 1956 and joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corp in 1956 after earning her Batchelor in Science Degree in Nursing. Attended Officer’s Training at Fort Sam Houston as a 2nd Lieutenant. She then readied for re-assignment and training prior to an overseas move at Fort Riley, Kansas. It was a big move to Furth Army Hospital, Nuremburg, Germany for this young Cleveland gal. This is where Nanette contracted the “flying bug”. Accompanying her patients in De Havilland “U1-A Otters” from Kansas to Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, CO. Another story puts her in a UH-1 Army helicopter where a young Army helicopter pilot flew her in an “unauthorized” flight path, under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA while attending specialized nursing training at The Presidio.

While in Germany, she met her future husband, James (Jim) Eugene Anderson also serving in the army and ALSO from Cleveland, Ohio. They courted secretly at first as Nanette was an Army Officer and Jim was not. An enlisted man and a woman officer married in 1959! They began their family with their first-born son, John Edward in 1960. The Army was not supportive of this relationship, nor the birth. Nan was forced to resign her commission. The family left Germany in 1960 and landed in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Nan continued to work as a civilian nurse for the U.S Army at Ft. Riley where her 2nd son, Robert was born.

In 1962, Nan and family moved to Flagstaff, AZ where Jim completed his degree and Nan worked at the General Hospital. In 1966 Jim, Nan and their two sons John and Robert moved to Redlands, CA. Nan loved, loved, loved the Fragrant Orange Blossoms. In April 1966, Nan gave birth to her third child, Barbara Lee. Nan raised all three children (John, Robert and Barbara) as a single Mom after her divorce from Jim in 1970.

Coming to Missouri! Nanette attended the wedding of her son Robert (Debbie Herbert) in Branson, MO in 1986. She fell in love with the Ozarks! By 1988, Nan had moved from Redlands and was living in a beautiful home in Sunset Cove in Branson. It was here that she literally had the time of her life! Nans’ mother was a Broadway Performer. Nans’ name came from a Broadway show that her mother performed in, titled “No, No, Nanette”. The theater was in her blood and Branson was the catalyst. Nan served as a volunteer in many of the local theaters on 76 BLVD, ushering, sales, welcoming, etc. The Osmond Theater and family were just one of her many, many, favorites.

Nanette moved to Springfield in 1996 and loved the town. Nan volunteered as a “Candy Striper” at Mercy Hospital for many years, assisting new patients, providing transportation, and generally just making everyone welcome and at ease. Nan had, and still has, a great many surviving friends scattered between the West and East coasts but she best enjoyed the friends she’d made in Missouri in her golden years.

Nanette loved humans and all things human; church activities, aviation, boating, nature strolls and theater but she also LOVED animals. A LOT! Any show featuring animals would be a favorite Nanette loved to see, marvel and adore all of God’s furry, scaled, and feathered creatures. Nanette adopted and fostered many dogs and cats through her lifetime. Kirby (can you guess where this animal got it’s name?), Sugar, Sugar II, Sam, Hurry, Maggie, Tinker, were just some of the critters (her other children, she called them) that come to mind.

Nanette is survived by 9 Great Grandchildren; 4 Grandchildren and 3 Children John, Robert, and Barbara.

The family wishes to thank all of the staff at Ravenwood and St. Croix Hospice for all of the care provided on behalf of Nanette.

Funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, August 13, 2026 in St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Ozark. Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday in Missouri Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family wish for you to make a small donation to Best Friends Animal Society.