Charles Anderson

1932 - 2021

Charles Anderson
April 12, 1932 - December 27, 2021
Fort Worth, Texas - Charles Albert Anderson passed away peacefully on December 27, 2021 at the age of 89.
He was born April 12, 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa relocating with his family to Texas City Texas at age 8. After graduating high school in 1950, he attended Texas A&M University graduating in 1955 with a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He spent the next summer at what was then General Dynamics Ft. Worth Division plotting wind tunnel data on the B-58 bomber and there his love of building airplanes was born. He served a short stint in the Air Force working with nuclear weapons testing at Kirkland Air Force base in Albuquerque, NM before returning to General Dynamics Ft. Worth Division in 1958. He spent the next 41 years as the head of every major aircraft program at General Dynamics Ft. Worth Division including the F-111 and F-16 jet fighters. He even held the top post as Vice President and General Manager. When he retired in 1999, he did so as a well-respected man who treated everyone from dignitaries and presidents to the custodial staff with the same level of appreciation and equality. He was a man of deep integrity, abiding faith, and tenacity to make things right even when doing so may not have been easy or popular.
Charlie's greatest accomplishment was never his career, but rather his family. He was with the love of his life Karen (Conrad) Anderson for 50 years. Together, they raised a beautiful family. Charlie has two sons and one daughter from a previous marriage and together he and Karen have one daughter. As proud as he was of his four children, he was exceptionally proud of his four beloved grandchildren. Watching them grow into strong smart college aged adults was one of the greatest joys of his life.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Ruth Anderson; two sisters, JoAnne Stansfield and Marjorie Thompson; and son, Tony Anderson.
He is survived by his wife, Karen; daughter, Lesley, (Murray), of Ft. Worth, TX, son Lance (Cheryl) of Southlake, TX; daughter, Kelly (Robert) of Houston, TX; and grandchildren, Anthony Anderson, Elise Anderson, Joe Atkinson and Julia Atkinson, as well as a host of beloved nieces and nephews.
The grave side service was held privately at Greenwood Funeral home just before the New Year.
The family wishes to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers, and asks that in lieu of flowers memorials be made in his name to Transplant Unit at Baylor Scott and White All Saints Health Foundation, 1400 8th Ave Ft. Worth, TX 76104: The Karen and Charles Anderson '55 Scholarship Texas A&M Foundation College of Engineering 7607 Eastmark Dr. Ste. 230 College Station, TX 77843; or The Tony Anderson CLL Fund MD Anderson Cancer Center PO Box 4486 Houston, TX 77210-4486.