Brian Pierce Anderson

Brian Pierce Anderson of Charlotte, NC died on Friday the 13th of June, no doubt reciting Emily Dickinson's "Because I Could Not Stop For Death." Those of us fortunate enough to know him well will sorely miss his pervasive humor, astonishing intellect, sharp wit, and unwavering love.

Brian was born in Germany on April 29, 1961 to Rachael Tayar and Bill Anderson. Before his home in Long Beach, Mississippi was destroyed by Hurricane Camille, Brian sold his handmade potholders door-to-door and spent long days wading far out into the Gulf of Mexico. When his family moved to North Carolina, he spent nearly every weekend biking across Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh to table tennis competitions.

Brian shared his dazzling intellect with his students at Central Piedmont Community College until his retirement in 2022. His expertise in poetry, American literature, and history made him a bastion of the English Department. He believed that community college students deserved the same quality of education as their university peers, and more importantly, he believed that his students could reach those standards. Hundreds of Brian's former students are better writers, readers, and critical thinkers because of his commitment to sharing the beauty and power of language through literature. His passion for collecting the "little books" given to soldiers during WWII reflects this underlying belief in the power of literature for all people, and Brian was known internationally for his collection of these Armed Services Editions. Over the decades, he was able to compile a complete collection, one of only a few in the world. In December, he donated his collection to his alma mater, Appalachian State University. The Brian Anderson World War II Armed Services Edition Collection can be seen in the Belk Library's Special Collections Research Center on campus in Boone, NC.

Brian was a true Renaissance man. He loved research of all kinds, unearthing the history of ancestors and tracing his family tree. He rode a unicycle. He could balance anything on his nose, famously walking around with a mop or broom towering above his upturned face. Fiercely competitive, Brian's family games of Squeak could go on for hours and were not suitable for the uninitiated. He loved antiquing with his daughter and woodworking with his son. Brian carried an irreverent sense of humor (from a childhood reading National Lampoon) with him to the end–when he was diagnosed with cancer, Brian joked about offering a service: for ten dollars, he would come back and haunt the person of your choice.

Brian's life centered on love. Brian took great pride in being a tremendous father to his two children, Jensen and Hal. Even on a teacher's salary, he took Jensen and Hal on epic road trips each summer, canoeing in South Dakota, camping in Maine, biking in Pennsylvania, and of course visiting all the homes and graves of his favorite authors. He loved his children utterly and did everything in his power to guide them into the adults they are today. He loved language, playing with words and sounds for jokes and inspiring students to read critically and expand their minds. He loved Diet Dr. Pepper and dogs and doing the right thing. He loved crafting postcards to send to friends and family.

Brian is survived by his children Jensen Ashman (Matt) and Hal Anderson of Charlotte, his father Bill Anderson of Hendersonville, his brothers Tait Anderson (Vannessa) of Portland, and Rod Anderson (Amy) of Chapel Hill, and his nieces Mary and Meg Anderson of Chapel Hill. Brian is preceded in death by his mother, Rachael Tayar. The lives of his family, friends, and students are enriched by the example he set of generosity, humor, and love. Every time we chuckle at a New Yorker cartoon, make his fabulous bean chili, write a letter to a friend, or embark on a house or garden project, we will think of Brian.

Donations in Brian's honor can be made to ACLU or NPR. His family will also be collecting school supplies to donate to the teachers and students at Highland Renaissance Academy before the start of the school year, a tradition he began with his children.

A gathering will be held in Charlotte in late summer to celebrate Brian's life.