James Emmons Anderson

James Emmons Anderson died peacefully on June 22, 2016, at home with his wife and family surrounding him. He was 77.

Jim was born in West Hartford, Connecticut, to William J. Anderson and Edith D. Bottorff on July 31, 1938. Jim grew up in West Hartford where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Anne Murphy, in high school. They married in 1962 and celebrated their 54th anniversary on June 16, 2016.

As did his father, Jim graduated from Union College. Jim's degree was a B.S. in chemistry, and Jim went on to earn a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Princeton University in 1963. He did post-doctoral studies at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. Then began a 37-year career at Ford Motor Company's Research Laboratory. He published over 75 peer-reviewed articles and holds many issued U.S. patents. He took a sabbatical in 1975-76 to conduct research at the Max Planck Institute in Frankfurt and the University of Mainz, both in Germany. Later, he took a second sabbatical at Stanford University.

Science was an abiding passion. Throughout his life, Jim was up early in the morning happily sipping coffee and writing equations on yellow-legal pads before the rest of the family woke; he decorated Easter eggs with such notations as E=MC2. The Double Helix by Watson and Crick was on the "great literature" bookshelf in the living room.

Jim collaborated with scientists around the world, traveling frequently to conferences in Europe, Africa, and Greece. Upon retirement in 2001, he settled in Naples, Florida, and Hyannis, Massachusetts, but his "wanderlust" continued and he visited such places as Russia, Costa Rica, and Chile. Jim learned German, Spanish, and a bit of Russian. His enthusiasm for mastering new things--from muffins to Sudoku to fractals--never waned. Extended family and tennis became his passions in later years, with his favorite summertime pursuit being clamming with the grandkids in various hidden beaches on Cape Cod, followed by trips to the ice cream store.

Jim is survived by his wife Betsey, his four children Wendy M. Anderson of Washington, DC, Stephen W. Anderson of Larchmont, NY, Dean G. Anderson of Phoenix, AZ, and Nina E. Anderson of Atlanta, GA; three daughters- and son-in-law, Tara (Toolan) Anderson, Stephanie (Thompson) Anderson, and Michael Connor; as well as nine grandchildren--Zoe, Ben, Zach, James, Sam, William, Josie, Sally, and Anne. His grandchildren held center-stage for Jim when they appeared!

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the James E. Anderson '60 Endowed Scholarship Fund at Union College, which his children set up to honor Jim's lifelong commitment to his undergraduate college and chemistry. The address to be used for donations is: Union College, Office of Gift Planning, 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308, by calling 518-388-6156, or via (http://www.union.edu/giving).

The funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2016, at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, Hyannis, MA, 02601. The Mass will be in the morning; the exact hour will be announced later. The burial to follow at Oak Neck Cemetery. Then everyone is invited back to Papa's Place.
There will be a wake from 4pm-7pm on Wednesday June 29th at 160 West Main Street, Hyannis, MA, 02601, at Doane, Beal & Ames Funeral Home.