September 24, 1937 – November 27, 2023
Adrian Selgren (Twirp) Anderson passed peacefully at his home in Grand Junction with his granddaughter Annika by his side on Nov. 27, 2023. Adrian was born in Colfax, Washington on Sept. 24, 1937 to Iris Ireta Anderson and Knute Oscar Anderson. He was the fourth of six children and was raised on the family farm just outside of Culdesac, Idaho. Adrian received his nickname, Twirp, at birth and it stayed with him his entire life! He grew up in Lapwai, Idaho and graduated from Lapwai High School in 1955. He attended the University of Idaho in Moscow and there he met his future wife, Barbara Timmons Anderson of Ashton, Idaho.
Twirp and Barbara Anderson wed on Dec. 28, 1962. They moved to Morton, Idaho where their first child was born, Eric Christian Anderson. Twirp worked in the woods as a logger and truck driver. Here he formed his first band, The Hustlers. This took him to Boulder, Colorado where their second child was born, Heidi A. Anderson. He played many gigs in Aspen with The Hustlers and eventually moved his family to Aspen in 1969.
Twirp had many jobs in his early years in Aspen, from janitor to deputy, truck driver and ski patrolman. He also worked as a cowboy and ranch manager for both the W/J and Snowmass Stables. He moved his family to the Snowmass Stables in 1970 where he helped build the rodeo arena. In Snowmass, he led pack trips and developed his skill as a horse shoer, a career he kept for 41 years. He also helped start the Snowmass Rodeo and announced that for 40 years to come. Also at the Snowmass Stables, his third child was born, Wendy R. Anderson.
In 1977, Twirp and his family moved down the valley and made Carbondale their home. Between The Timber Mill at the base of Snowmass, the Stagecoach (Relay Station) and the Red Garter Room at the Hotel Colorado, Twirp played music every Friday and Saturday night for years. He also played for many special events in the Roaring Fork Valley and formed a band, Heart of the Rockies, later in his career.
Twirp is survived by his three children and granddaughter and sister, Sandy Wilkinson in Fort Worth, Texas. We celebrate the legacy of a great entertainer and friend and say, with gratitude for the time we had, “Happy trails, pard.”