Patricia Anderson

1940 - 2024

Patricia Anderson

Patricia Ann Alexander Anderson rose to be with her Lord on Wednesday July 17. She was surrounded by her loving family and her amazing caregivers. Tish was born in Statesville, North Carolina in January 1940 to Robert Woodrow Alexander and Thelma Odis Withers. She graduated from Statesville High School in 1958 and then attended Appalachian State University. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in education and then taught first and second grade elementary school students in Pineville, North Carolina. She also worked for Brian Center Corporation in bookkeeping for a time. Pat married the love of her life, Howard W. Anderson, in June 2003.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband and parents; her sons, Brian Nathanial Beaver and Donald Patrick Beaver. She is survived by her daughters, Angela Beaver Simmons and spouse Jeff Behmer of Hickory, Donna Beaver Malone and spouse Tim of Hickory, and Deborah Beaver Looper and spouse David of Charleston, SC; her brother, John Robert Alexander and spouse Jeanette of High Point and sister, Toni Withers Alexander of Boston; grandchildren, Grace Beaver Simmons, Beau Alexander Simmons, Benjamin Underdown Simmons, Helena Bentley Looper, David Alexander Looper, Kathryn, Kennedy, Jackson and Cooper Behmer. In addition, Pat's family included her step-children, Todd Anderson and wife Julie of Raleigh, Lori Buckley and husband John of Charlottesville, and Robert Anderson; our honarary brother, Gisle Gunderson of Oslo, Norway; and her many step grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

First and foremost, Pat was a servant of our Lord who lived His teachings by giving of her time and energy to countless charities in her community and the world. She wrote birthday cards for each person at her church every year, delivered Meals on Wheels for many years, sponsored numerous children abroad, built schools in remote areas of the world, sponsored a program to remove tattoos from former gang members in Honduras, and rescued countless abandoned animals throughout her life. She loved to travel and spent time with many people in her community on trips to such places as Africa and the Amazon. She loved playing games, feeding her birds and hummingbirds and watching her fish swim in her pond and aquarium.

The local charities touched by her hand include Safe Harbor Rescue Mission, the Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center, Cooperative Christian Ministry, Appalachian State University Reich College of Education, the Humane Society of Catawba County, St. Luke's Methodist Church, the Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, the local chapter of the American Red Cross, and the local chapter of the American Heart Association. She received accolades throughout her life with notable achievements such as 2001 March of Dimes Woman of Distinction and Lenoir Rhyne University's Board of Trustees' Outstanding Community Service Award. Pat is the founder of the TSH Charitable Foundation and the Patrick Beaver Scholarship Foundation.

Pat was an inspiration to so many and lived her life with the most amazing spirit that caught everyone's attention, not because of her ego, but because of her compassion of all of this world and its creatures in every shape and form. She was a true example of the way Jesus would want us all to live.

Pat's final journey was aided by God and her angelic caregivers Mary Collins, Sue Patterson, Shante Floyd and Amber Biddex with tremendous support from the staff from Carolina Caring.

In lieu of flowers, Pat would want her people to make contributions of money, time or energy to the charity of their choice or passion, feed the birds, pick up trash and be kind to others.

The funeral service will be held at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Hickory, North Carolina on Sunday July 21st at 2 p.m., officiated by the Reverends Monica Childers and John Ferree. The burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 2 p.m., in St. Luke's Family Life Center prior to the service. A celebration of life will be held at Pat Anderson's home at a later date.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory is serving the Anderson family.