Frederick Lee Anderson

Frederick Lee Anderson, age 79 of Calhoun, GA, passed away on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

Fred was born on May 16, 1946 in Mercy Hospital in Clinton, Iowa. His parents were Clyde Wilbur Anderson and Frances Louise Davis Anderson. He had one brother, Robert William Anderson and one sister, Karen Mae Anderson Worrel. At the time of Fred’s birth, the family was living on a farm at Buckhorn, Iowa.

On March 1, 1947 the family moved to Ray Streets’ 80-acre farm near the small town of Elwood, Iowa. It was typical for farmers to always move on the 1st of March, because that allowed them to harvest their crops and then move in time to plant next year’s crops. All the children attended elementary school at the Elwood Consolidated School when they reached school age.

In 1953, the family moved to Arnold Schmidt’s 120-acre farm. This farm was the favorite one, for Bob and Fred, at least. We had a full ½ square mile to roam, fish, and play in addition to all the chores that we had to do. We helped with the milking of approximately 50 head of cows, gathered eggs from chickens, bedding the cattle sheds down with fresh straw, and “slopping” (feeding) the hogs. In season, we helped bale the hay, scooped hundreds of pounds of oats, picked the corn, and all the other things associated with a dairy farm.

In 1956, the family moved to Ethel Wilcox’s 80-acre farm at Esgate, six miles north of the town of Maquoketa, Iowa. Fred attended the Esgate country school through the 7th grade. They began the process of consolidating all the country schools of the area and bussing us all to town where Fred attended the Maquoketa Junior High School for most of the 8th grade.

In January of 1960, his folks bought their first home in the little town of Welton, Iowa. Fred’s parents both still worked in Maquoketa at Clinton Engines Corporation, so he would get up and go to Maquoketa with them and they would drop him off at the Decker Hotel to wait until time to go to school and he would walk to the junior high school for his classes. It was known to be one of the best schools in the state. Unfortunately, the school board found out about this situation and called his parents to tell them that he would have to transfer to the Welton school or they would have to pay tuition. They generously gave them until the end of April to decide. With his brother in the Academy and his sister in college they couldn’t afford to pay any more tuition, so he had to transfer to the Welton, Iowa school. Fred was a bit disappointed, until he got to the Welton school and found that they only had two weeks left in their school year. He would have had a whole month still in Maquoketa. He graduated from the 8th grade at the Welton Community school district.

For the next three years Fred attended Oak Park Academy in Nevada, Iowa. During this time his family moved from Welton, Iowa to Lincoln, Nebraska.

Fred did his senior year at College View Academy in Lincoln.

Fred has a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and education. The B.A. was conferred by Union College, in Lincoln, Nebraska, in June of 1968. He also has a Master of Arts degree in Biology, conferred by Pacific Union College of Angwin, California in August of 1972.

Fred married one of his teachers at Union College, Margaret Erwin, at Angwin, California on August 13, 1968.

After a brief honeymoon in California’s Coastal Redwoods, Margaret and Fred headed form Sunnydale Academy in Centralia, Missouri, where Fred began his teaching career (1968-1973).

Next, Fred taught at Indiana Academy in Cicero, Indiana (1973-1978).

The next move was to Fresno Adventist Academy in Fresno, California (1978-1989).

In 1989, they moved to Calhoun, Georgia, where Fred taught science at Georgia Cumberland Academy for the next 22 years (1989-2011).

Since many years have been spent working in private, boarding schools, Margaret and Fred made a decision not to have any children of their own. Most of their time was consumed by educating other people’s children.

In June of 1989, Fred received the Thomas and Violet Zapara Award for Excellence in Teaching. It is an award that is made by the North American Division of Education in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In 1998, 2000, and 2005, Fred was nominated to the “Who’s Who Among American’s Teachers.” He was nominated by one of his students each time.

At the time of his retirement, June 30, 2011, Fred had completed his 43rd year of teaching science in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system. He retired from teaching on June 30, 2011.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, November 16th from 12 PM until 2 PM at the Georgia Cumberland Academy.

Funeral Services will be conducted Sunday, November 16th at 2 PM at the Georgia Cumberland Academy with Pastor Don Keele and Pastor David T. Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Chandler Cemetery.

You may leave the family online condolences at www.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com

Thomas Funeral Home has proudly been entrusted with the care of Frederick Lee Anderson.