Marion Anderson

May 14, 2017 Marion Anderson, philanthropist, Chairwoman of Topa Equities, Ltd., and wife of John E. Anderson, died Sunday morning at her residence. Marion Anderson was born and raised in New York. She moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was a young woman. She met and married John Anderson in 1967. Together they formed a strong philanthropic and business partnership for over 44 years. Between 1987 and 2011, Marion and John Anderson made a series of gifts to the UCLA Graduate School of Management which was named after John E. Anderson in 1987. The Marion Anderson Professor's Chair was also established in 1987 at the Anderson School. In 2015, Marion Anderson made a significant gift to the Anderson School to support a new building within the UCLA Anderson complex which will be named the Marion Anderson Hall in her honor. In May 2011, the Andersons made a gift to help build a new wing at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, the largest individual gift ever received by the nationally renowned medical facility. The new wing, which opened in July of that year, is called the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion. Marion Anderson served for over 10 years as Co-Chair of the CHLA Board of Trustees and continued to be an avid supporter of all things related to CHLA. Mrs. Anderson was a former Trustee of Claremont McKenna College. The Marion Anderson Scholarship, established in her honor at Claremont McKenna College, annually supports two students in pursuit of their college educations. She was predeceased by her husband, John E. Anderson, and daughter, Deborah Anderson, and is survived by daughters Susan McKinley (Bill) and Judy Munzig; sons John (Dori) and William; and 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Gloria Flores, her niece, Rima Shideler (Ray), and her great-niece and great-nephew. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that any donations be made to Children's Hospital Los Angeles or the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management. Arrangements for the memorial service are still pending.