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Arthur Anthony Anderson

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University of Idaho

Arthur Anderson Obituary

Name: Celebration of Life for Arthur Anthony Anderson
Start: 2021-03-19T19:00:00.000Z
End: 2021-03-19T21:30:00.000Z
Location: the Hot Mess Restaurant

Arthur Anthony 'Tony' Anderson

San Diego
Arthur Anderson, 84, passed away peacefully on February 25. "Tony" Anderson was born in Whapeton, North Dakota and grew up playing every sport imaginable. He attended the University of Idaho where he started as a 6-foot-4 offensive lineman. After graduating, he joined the Marines and was stationed in San Diego where he continued to play football and met his wife. Being a standout on the MCRD team led to his recruitment by the Chicago Bears for the 61 and 62 seasons. He continued his professional football career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1963. "Coach" Anderson parlayed his love of sports into a career as a Physical Education teacher and Football, Basketball, Cross-Country and Track and Field coach for the San Diego School District for 38 years. Anderson was selected Coach of the Year nine times, leading to his induction into the San Diego Coaching Legends in 2006. After retirement, Anderson spent his free time volunteer coaching and cheering loudly for his grandkids from the sidelines. "Coach" is survived by his wife of 60 years Sharon (nee Hicks) and four adult children: Gregg, Elaine, Shannon and Margo. He will be fondly remembered as a devoted grandpa to his eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. An informal (Hawaiian Shirt themed)"Celebration of Life" will take place on Friday, March 19 from 12-2:30 @ the Hot Mess Restaurant, 1735 National Avenue, San Diego, 92113. For more information contact Shannon at [email protected]. October 9, 1936 - February 25, 2021

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Diego Union-Tribune from Mar. 10 to Mar. 14, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for Arthur Anderson

14 Entries

Leslie Amundson

March 4, 2024

My late husband Gordy Amundson was "best friends" with him. They would talk on the phone periodically and would just take off where they left off. Gordy remembered driving him to Chicago to potentially join the Bears, which didn't actually happen. They were dear friends since growing up in Wahpeton.

Kevin McKercher

March 9, 2022

What an all-around great guy! As a student at Clairemont High I have only fond memories of this kind man. He was a great coach and he even helped me when my father had a heart attack the summer after I graduated. Clairemont High was an amazing school to attend in the 1970's because of all the excellent teachers and staff.

Alison

March 27, 2021

Leroy Dodson coaching memories of Tony at Celebration of life.

Dave Harper

March 15, 2021

From the day I first stepped foot on Clairemont High School campus, Coach Art was a man that everyone knew. He was passionate, well liked and looked up to. Coach took me under his wing after the football season of my sophomore year. He would pick me up every morning and take me to school so that I could run 4 miles before classes started. Back then 2 workouts per day was not the norm. But Coach believed in that level of intensity. It is what took me from a 4:53 mile to running a 4:16 mile in winning my first of 3 CIF championships. There is no way I would have had that kind of success under any other coaching. He preached hard work, but also showed compassion for his athletes. He believed in me and instilled a confidence in me that I have carried with me all my life. From my long running career, to raising my family, to coaching high school cross country and track. I’ve always tried to model the way Coach Art would have done it. I’m so glad we always stayed in contact over the years. We went from a Coach athlete relationship, to a friendship. We would meet up at church or enjoy a Chargers game together. He would also join the distance running crew for a burger and a beer. We’d talk about all the great memories we created together. Coach Art had such a positive impact on my life. I’ve always and will always continue to cherish the fact that I was blessed to have him come into my life. I will miss him. My deepest condolence goes to all the Anderson family. Dave Harper class of 1971

R. Stephen Jennings MD

March 13, 2021

This is a quiet and reflective moment for me. I have guided Families through death as the culmination of Life's Experience. I now have 40 years of medical experience doing so, however, this is personal and quite different.

I had reached out to my Clairemont High School BFF Bruce Storrs in hope of seeing Art.

What was never discussed is Art Anderson was my Track Coach at Hale Junior High School. It was his first assignment before CHS. I was blessed to be the top sprinter in the school and had been acknowledged as the top quarterback recruit to Madison High School. Coach Vogel invited the Madison HC and OC to watch my games.

Coach Anderson, as my Hale track coach, helped us set the All San Diego County Jr High (middle school) record for the 440 relay. I was the anchor leg runner. About five yards from the finish line, I expanded my stride and lunged forward, and chested the tape for our new record.

As I hit the tape, there was a loud snap in my left hip and I went tumbling down into the track gravel. Art ran over, picked me up by the ankles. Brute Swede power. He lifted me vertically off the ground upside down. My dislocated hip went back in place. I could not walk and was hospitalized for two days.

Had Art not done that so instinctively, it was unlikely I would have been able to play football, basketball, and travel baseball.

The last time I thanked Coach Anderson was in 1997 when I crossed the finish line of the 100th Boston Marathon.

There is no end to my gratitude for the Big Swede, Arthur Tony Anderson. Coach's greatness was in his Mentoring.
Thousands of student-athletes during his career.

I have patterned so much of my foundation and competitive goals and ambitions through his mentoring, using the skill set he insisted we develop and achieve for ourselves.

He taught me to be highly prepared for your next opportunity, which you never know "when they'll call your number" in life.

In Orange County, I am the Head Team Physician for the North-South All-Star Football Game and have been a team physician for 35 years. This community service was inspired by Coach's impact in my life.

Arthur Anthony Anderson----Mentor, Coach, Friend, Enforcer, the Voice of Encouragement. Always and forever. Heaven has become greater today.

Respectfully,
R. Stephen Jennings, M.D.
Class of 1967
Clairemont High School

Charlie Amundson

March 11, 2021

Tony was my dad's high school teammate and lifelong friend. They spent their adult lives half a country apart but never lost that bond formed in Wahpeton. Dad passed a few years ago, so I'm sure they're together again, not "resting in peace" but dominating the heavenly courts. Note that today, March 11 2021, is the 67th anniversary of the 1954 state basketball tournament that they won together.

Shirley and Jim Twyford

Planted Trees

jo senecal

March 11, 2021

When I think of all the self help books, meditations, the searches for inner peace, I find a pattern that leads to the thing this man owned: Acceptance. I grew up around the corner, his ferociously unique and brilliant daughter my very best friend since we were tots. My house was orderly, clean, scheduled, full of love. The Anderson's? Chaotic, colorful, mudpie splattered artwork on the outside walls, blue pancakes for dinner, kids barking, dogs singing, full of love. Elaine would scurry to my house for calm; I would beg for hers for wild adventure. And her Dad? The one I ended up calling Dad A? He took it all. A giant shock absorber, allowing the chaos to spill over without judgement. Tending wild roses, cleaning up our glittered messes, choosing his words so that they mattered; loving beyond measure his family so much that he allowed others, like me, to enter without a key because he knew we loved them all. Loyal, quiet yet commanding, his stories! Helping too many of us to count in many private ways. The perfect yin to his beautiful bride's exuberant yang. He accepted his daughter's loud, dramatic friend all the way through the death of my own dad, who loved him dearly too. Thank you for your wisdom, dear Dad A, for teaching me about acceptance in this chaotic world, for raising my favorite childhood family, being my dad's tribe (Semper Fi to the Quatro Amigos), for gifting us with the sense of what great coaching is all about. I look forward to watching his cherished grandkids take on the world.

M.A. Tenney

March 10, 2021

Coach Anderson had that voice, everyone who played football and ran track will never forget his booming voice over the football field and the track at CHS, encouraging us to play smarter and run a little faster. Will never forget on warm spring afternoon before a track meet Coach was sitting against the south goal post at CHS and several of us wondered over and sat down. Someone asked about Coach's NFL career and he pulled a worn yellow newspaper article out of his wallet. He let us all read it. A reporter told of how hard he played and always gave it his all. We all saw a side of Coach Anderson we'd never seen before. Thanks for trying to get the best out of all of us. Condolences to the Anderson Family.

Tony at retired Bears recognition ceremony in Chicago

Alison Anderson

March 10, 2021

Color photo from Printed obit.

Carol Vigsnes

March 10, 2021

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Louise Cavallin

March 10, 2021

Dave Cavallin & “Tony” were fellow Marine athletes in 1959 & were born a day apart in 1936. Sharon & Louise became friends while in graduate work at San Diego State. The Andersons & Cavallins became lifelong friends exchanging Christmas greetings (Sharon’s creative renderings) for decades! Dave had great respect for Tony! I send condolences for all! Prayers for Grace, Wisdom, Peace & Love!
Sincerely, Louise Cavallin

Alison Anderson

March 10, 2021

Best father-in-law I ever could have imagined. Seriously. I will miss him so much. A lover AND a fighter to the end, a rock we all leaned on. Tony, love you, see you when I see you!

wayne worner

March 10, 2021

Tony was my boyhood friend and teammate on the football, basketball, track and baseball teams in Wahpeton ND. An exceptional athlete but an even better friend. A gentle and caring person, I was so proud when last year he was inducted into the second WHS Hall of Fame. All of his classmates and teammates send condolences along with an affirmation of how much he was admired for his abilities and his caring for others.
Wayne (aka Dempsey) Worner. Blacksburg, VA

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