Harold L. Anderson

Harold Lee Anderson passed away in his home i n West Covina on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at the age of 85. Harold was born on January 26, 1923 in Murray, Utah to LaVar Green and Grace Green-Andersen. Grace later married Louis Andersen whom Harold knew as his father. Harold and his parents moved to Los Angeles in 1928 then with his wife and children to West Covina in 1954 where he resided for the reminder of his life. He was a graduate of Garfield High School, Class of 1941, in East Los Angeles and later went on to receive his Associate of Arts degree in B usiness at LA City College. He was married to his life long "sweetheart" Phyllis Macomber Anderson on October 25, 1946 in Pasadena, California. Harold was also a member of the Arcadia Masonic Lodge #278 where for many years he was very active. He worked at Willard Battery from 1945-1947 where he met Phyllis. He would never have had the nerve to ask her out, since Phyllis was the boss's daughter but with all the excitement over VJ Day, he overcame his uncertainty and they enjoyed a pleasant ride in a conve rtible on Turnbull Canyon Road enjoying the sites and getting to knew each other. Harold went on to a long career as an accountant with Union Oil from 1947-1961. Harold knew that working for someone else was not for him and in 1959 Harold and Phyllis bought Boardman Equipment Rentals in Monrovia and Azusa. In 1961, they moved the company to Nogales Street in the City of Industry, California which they renamed Industry Equipment Rentals. The company began with only a few tools and a mind that would not qu it. Soon after IER opened, a burglary occurred and most everything was taken. Again, Harold would not surrender. He gathered his strength and what few dollars remained and began a business that eventually branched off into three different divisions. He, with Phyllis created Industry Equipment Rentals, Inc., Industry Lift, Inc., and Industry Property Investments Inc., all located in the City of Industry and made a successful career for himself as well as several hundred people over the years that he employ ed and whose lives he enormously enriched. Health issues plagued Harold for most of his life with a debilitating joint disease which never defeated him. This hindrance to his walking only made his mind stronger. Harold was quietly a proud man; proud of his accomplishments and mostly proud of his family. He employed his entire family for several years including his children, their spouses and all five of his grandsons. He was also charitable for many organizations that he believed in. These included but we re not limited to many little league teams as well as the Toastmasters Club and the Masons. Additionally, Harold donated his time and was the President of the California Rental Association in 1968. Besides spending most of his time at work, Harold enjoyed many activities; in his youth, he especially enjoyed restoring cars to their original glory. As he matured, he had a love for acquiring properties including several in City of Industry and Ontario plus homes in West Covina and Surfside Beach. His other hob bies included reading, mentoring, watching football and golf on television, Model A Ford car shows and of course his all time favorite, his 1932 Roadster. Harold is survived by his loving wife: Phyllis Anderson; his son: Michael Anderson and wife Terrie; daughter: Cynthia Richardson and husband Robert; grandchildren: Christopher Anderson and wife Jennifer, Jeffrey Peterson and wife Michelle, Scott Anderson and wife Elizabeth, Timothy Peterson and wife Mandy, and Daniel Peterson; great-grandchildren: Made line, Molly, Jack, Kaydn, Blake, Madeline, Grant, Phillip and Ethan; siblings: Jerry Anderson, Ray Green, and Jack Green. He is predeceased by his mother, father, and step-father, as well as siblings Jeannie Martin, and Jackie Andersen. A celebration of Harold's life will be held at Forest Lawn, Covina Hills on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 2:00pm.