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Robert Anderson
In Memory of
Robert Elmer Dean "Andy"
Anderson
1925 - 2017
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Obituary for Robert Elmer Dean "Andy" Anderson

Robert Elmer Dean "Andy"  Anderson
Brevard – Robert Elmer Dean “Andy” Anderson passed at College Walk, Brevard, North Carolina on January 24, suddenly and directly, without lingering, as he had lived his long and good life. He was 91.
Andy and his younger brother Paul were raised by Margaret (Hagman) and Elmer Anderson in St. Cloud, Minnesota. His father held many jobs, including as a homesteader. Andy spent summers with his cousins, working on their families’ farms in Wisconsin. His father died when he was a teenager, and Andy assumed responsibility for his mother and brother. Shortly thereafter, in 1943, he enlisted in the Navy V-12 program, which educated him at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota, where he earned his degree in electrical engineering in 1947.
He met his first wife, JoAne (Petersen), when she was fifteen; they married shortly after her twentieth birthday. He moved – alone – to New York City, where he lived at the YMCA and took his first and only full time job, at Bell Laboratories, the research arm of the phone company. JoAne followed. They moved to New Jersey, where they raised three children, Peter, Christine and Stephen. They stayed in New Jersey until their youngest child graduated from college.
Andy retired at age 53, a fact he noted often. Nevertheless, his professional career was remarkable. He worked on the first submarine transatlantic cable, which was capable of carrying 35 simultaneous telephone conversations. The cable was laid from Newfoundland to Oban, Scotland in 1948, and remained in service until 1978. He was instrumental in the development of the solar cell, which provided electrical power to Telstar, the first telecommunication satellite. Telstar was launched on a Thor rocket in 1962 and it still orbits the Earth. He sang baritone in Bell Labs’ Barbershop Quartet, called The Bell Lads.
When Andy retired, he and JoAne moved to Sherwood Forest, in 1977. Both jumped feet first into this community. They were leaders during the formation of Sharing House, where they contributed throughout their lives. They worked at Bread of Life, Trend Mental Health, and Rise and Shine. They built houses for Habitat for Humanity. Andy was a leader of the expansion and construction of the Transylvania County Public Library. Both were leaders of the Sherwood Forest community. They were deeply committed to the Brevard Music Center; Andy served as president of the association in 1982. They helped Jackson Parkhurst create the Brevard Chamber Orchestra, now The Brevard Philharmonic Orchestra. Perhaps above all, Andy is well known and widely admired for his tireless work building and maintaining trails, in Sherwood Forest, later in Connestee Falls; and later still at College Walk. He built and maintained miles of trails in the parks and national forests which cover western North Carolina. He taught trail skills to many, and his trail building legacy lives and thrives through the many trail blazers he mentored. He loved the woods.
After JoAne’s death in 1993, Andy experienced the very good fortune of marrying Adele (Weaver). They lived in Connestee Falls for many years. Both were active in Sharing House and Habitat and the Heifer International project. They were travelers, particularly to Elderhostels throughout the country. They happily devoted much of their lives spending time with their six shared children and their families. Sadly, Adele passed in October, 2016.
Andy was a lifelong learner. He rarely missed a chance to hear a musical presentation in town. He loved to read in many genres. He was mystified by man’s inhumanity to man, and he passionately debated current and historical issues. He read The New York Times daily, plus several news and political magazines. Andy was a proud, full blooded Swede who carved and painted items for the Scandinavian Festival, including Dala horses and miniature figurines. Andy had great appreciation for his good fortune in life. During his last few years, he frequently commented that he was “aging gratefully.”
Now, Andy is rejoined with those who preceded him in death: his parents, his brother Paul, his first wife JoAne and his second wife Adele. He is survived by his son Peter Anderson (Helen), his daughter Christine Eberle (Bruce), his son Stephen Anderson (Jennifer), his step-son Alan Weaver (Joan), his step-son Roger Weaver (Mary Kay), and his step-daughter Charlotte Weaver King (Bill), as well as his grandchildren Matthew Simon and Britta Anderson, Andrew and Benjamin Eberle, Jack and Thomas Anderson, Desiree Reynolds and Derrick Braden, Kathleen and Benjamin Weaver, and Peter King.
Donations may be made anywhere, and particularly to Transylvania County Library Foundation or Friends of the Mountain to the Sea Trail.
Services will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, where Andy practiced and rejuvenated his faith the past 40 years, 325 North Broad Street, Brevard. Reception will follow in Fellowship Hall.
Online condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com

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