Robert S. Anderson

1922 - 2019

Anderson, Robert S.
Wallingford, CT – Robert Sidney Anderson passed away on May 15, 2019 at the age of 96 of a sudden stroke. He remained loving, caring, active and engaged until the very end. Robert was born on November 11, 1922 in Southwick, MA. He is predeceased by his parents, Sidney B. Anderson and Esther A. Anderson; his wife, Catherine T. Anderson; his sister, Mary Miller; and his son-in-law, Philip T. DiPeri.
Robert was brought up on a farm in Southwick, MA and graduated from Westfield High School. He was inducted into the 10th Air Force in April 1943. He spent time in Louisiana flying in planes that towed targets used to train fighter pilots, before being stationed in China. He was a gunner 2nd Class and a sharpshooter; earned the Victory and Good Conduct Medals; and was honorably discharged as a Corporal in February 1946. After returning home, he attended American International College in Springfield, MA and earned a B.A. in Business Administration. He and his wife married in April 1950 and settled in Southwick, where their three children were born. They were both very active in the Southwick Congregational Church, and Robert also served for many years on the volunteer Board of Assessors.
After graduating from college, he and his father founded the Anderson Construction Co. They built many homes in Southwick for young families, his parents, his in-laws, and many relatives; as well as shopping centers, and later adapted tobacco barns in the area to allow the green-cure of tobacco for cigars. In 1975, he closed the construction company and took the job of full-time Assessor in the town of Amherst, MA. He was well-respected within the MA Assessing groups and frequently taught assessing courses at their annual conferences. He retired from his position just before his 70th birthday. When he and Catherine moved to Amherst, they became very active in the North Amherst Congregational Church, and then the South Amherst Congregational Church. Shortly after they moved to Amherst, he built his wife's 'dream house' in Amherst and a second home in a lake-side community in Tolland, MA. He enjoyed golfing both in Southwick and in Amherst until after he turned 90. After his wife, Catherine, passed away in 2010, he remained in Amherst. In December 2016, he moved to the independent living community of Ashlar Village in Wallingford, CT to be near his daughter in North Haven, CT, and joined the North Haven Congregational Church. Robert is survived by his sister – Clara Brown; his children – Elizabeth J. Anderson, Paul T. Anderson, and Bruce R. Anderson (Judith); his grandchildren – Jessica Cushenberry and Adam Anderson (Alison); his great-grandchildren – Taylor Cushenberry, William Cushenberry, and Amelia Anderson; his step-grandchildren – Bronwyn DiPeri, and Israel DiPeri (Valentina); his step-great-grandchildren – Aiden, Kieran, Torin, Dakota and Andrei DiPeri; many cousins, nieces, nephews, and their families; and many friends.
A memorial service will be held at the North Haven Congregational Church at a later date; and his remains will be laid to rest in the Southwick Cemetery with his wife. The family would like to extend its thanks to the staff at Ashlar Village and for the many condolences upon his death. Arrangements are being handled by the North Haven Funeral Home. Memorial gifts may be made to the North Haven Congregational Church, 28 Church St., North Haven, CT 06473. www.northhavenfuneral.com