Michael Anderson

Michael (Mike) Shawn Anderson, currently of Charlottesville, Virginia, passed away on October 1, 2025, in the loving presence of his wife of 36 years, Lisa Maruca, and their son Shawn Anderson.

Mike was born to the late Donald Anderson and Patricia Ledderboge in Columbia City, Indiana in 1955, but spent most of his childhood in Kankakee, IL, graduating from Kankakee Westview High School in 1973. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1977), followed by a JD at their College of Law (1980). He worked in the Kankakee County State's Attorney's Office for several years before starting a career in corporate law that brought him to Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan, eventually working for multinational companies such as Autoliv and Veoneer, which specialized in automotive safety products. Mike traveled the world in his role as Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, before retiring in 2018. He moved with his wife to Charlottesville, VA in 2021, where he pursued his hobbies by taking music classes, appreciating the local music scene, and participating in lifelong learning courses.

Mike met his wife Lisa in 1987. She fell in love with him for his shrimp creole, a dish he perfected along with many others he cooked for family and friends throughout the years. Together they enjoyed restaurants and wineries; sailing, camping, and hiking; discussing books and movies; and being surrounded by their dogs. He supported her throughout her graduate work and in her career as an English professor. The highlight of his life was the birth of their son Shawn in 1997. He took a keen interest in Shawn's hobbies, rarely missing a little league or soccer game. He became an ardent fan of University of Southern California football when Shawn started there in 2015, and traveled to Los Angeles several times so they could attend games together. An adoring and demonstrative dad, he never tired of telling everyone how proud he was of his son. He was thrilled when Shawn married Alyssa in 2024.

Mike's friends and extended family knew him as generous, attentive, and self-effacing. They (mostly) appreciated his dark humor, amused raised eyebrow, and bad puns. When not with them, he liked to read, mostly mysteries and history, and play classical guitar, especially Bach. Though he faced many physical adversities in the last few years of his life, he was notably resilient, patient, and uncomplaining.

In addition to Lisa, Shawn, Alyssa, and his dog, Theo, Mike is survived by his cousins, Yvonne (Wood) Hurlburt and Teresa Girot. He will be deeply missed by the Maruca family: Robert and Brenda Maruca; Bob Maruca and Amy Rademacher; Petra, Jerry, and Alexandra Gray; and Andria Maruca-Orr and Keeve Orr.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mike's honor to The Front Porch Music School, the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, or Blood Cancer United. The family would also welcome donations of blood to your local American Red Cross Blood Donation Center.