Edward McCall Anderson

Edward McCall Anderson
With sadness, love, and profound gratitude, the family of Edward McCall Anderson announces his passing on June 12, 2021 at Pete Moore Hospice House at the age of 93. Ed's death represents a loss to the city of Eugene and the state of Oregon, as well as the countless friends and community members whose lives he impacted.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Ed moved to Portland with his parents and sister at the age of thirteen. Ed remembered that while living in Portland he stood on Sandy Blvd. selling newspapers bearing the banner headline that Pearl Harbor had been attacked. This, he said, was the way some people first learned of these momentous events since cell phones didn't exist and many people didn't even have car radios. Another memory from these days that Ed liked to share was watching Native Americans netting salmon at Celilo Falls; and later watching construction of the hydroelectric dam on the Columbia, which wiped out the falls.
At age 16, Ed and his family moved to Eugene where his father bought a business, Eugene Linen and Overall Supply. Ed served as president until 1983 and chairman until the 1987 purchase of the company by Aramark. For many years, Ed maintained a 1931 laundry truck from the family business and displayed his patriotism by driving it in Memorial Day parades and other events.
Ed graduated from Eugene High School and went on to the University of Oregon, where he was a business major and a Kappa Sigma. After graduation, he served in the US Army. Following his military service, Ed married Flora Giardina in 1952 and they had two children, Kristina and Mikal. In 1975, he married Susana Martinez Creson and welcomed her three children, Suzanne, Daniel and Holland into his family.
Throughout his life, Ed actively engaged with and served his community. At the state level, he served on the Oregon State Board of Health as an appointee of Governor Tom McCall. He was elected that board's president. Locally, he participated in the Chamber of Commerce, served on The Board of the Eugene YMCA and dedicated himself to Rotary. After an association with Eugene's Downtown Rotary Club that lasted more than 50 years, he became a founding member and the first president of the Eugene Airport Rotary Club. Ed took great pride in that organization's efforts to provide scholarships for deserving students.
A life-long Republican, Ed cared deeply about good government. From 2000-2001 he and eight other citizens worked to use humor to engage people and raise awareness of actions by the Eugene City Council they felt went against the will of the citizens of Eugene. Known as the Gang of 9, they anonymously placed large political cartoons in The Register-Guard aimed at the City Council's actions. Their eventual unmasking was front-page news.
Ed's hobbies were many. His long membership at the Eugene Country Club began in 1964, where he enjoyed playing golf. He loved skiing Mount Bachelor, fishing the McKenzie River and especially traveling the world with Susie, the love of his life.
Ed Anderson was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Bertha Anderson, his sister Virginia Sailor, and his son-in-law Eric Geibel. He is survived by his wife Susie Anderson: his children Kristina Wright, Mikal Anderson, Suzy Parchman and her husband Alan, Daniel Creson, and Holland Geibel; his grandchildren Edward Wright, Alyson Tart, Jennifer Wagner, Spencer Parchman, Taylor Deltz, Scout Creson, Jordan Geibel, and Wylie Geibel; his great-grandchildren Lela and William Tart, Holden, Cash and Collette Wagner and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. His surviving family, colleagues and friends will miss his leadership, wisdom, warmth and wry sense of humor.
For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to the scholarship program sponsored by the Rotary Club of the Eugene Airport through the Airport Rotary Foundation.
Please sign the guest book at www.registerguard.com/legacy