Donald Everett Obituary

DONALD EVERETT (Age 74)

Donald Everett Anderson, 74, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Monday evening, May 30, 2005 at his home in McLean, Virginia. He had lung cancer. Mr. Anderson was born on March 30, 1931 in Staten Island, New York, the son of Reinhold and Marion Anderson.

He served with the U.S. Air Force for two years and then attended the University of Michigan where he earned a B.A. in Political Science. He later moved to the Washington DC area to pursue graduate work at Georgetown University and to work as a civilian employee with the Department of the Navy. After six years with the Navy, Mr. Anderson moved to the U.S. State Department where he worked as a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development. During his 20 years with USAID, Mr. Anderson completed tours of duty in Brazil, Vietnam, Honduras, and Zambia. Mr. Anderson was one of the last Americans to leave Vietnam when Saigon fell in 1975, having stayed behind as long as possible at great personal risk to help Vietnamese who had worked for USAID escape the country. In 1987, Mr. Anderson retired from USAID. He soon returned to international development work as a private contractor, working on agricultural development and food security projects in many sub-Saharan countries in Africa. He was most proud of his work in Ethiopia and the Sudan in the mid- to late-1980s related to famine relief and the development of famine and disaster Early Warning Systems.

In addition to his fulfilling work in international development and humanitarian assistance, Mr. Anderson had many talents, including painting, singing, cooking, piano tuning, and carpentry. He was a gentleman farmer, growing grapes, hay, and riding on his tractors on his rolling farmland in Loudoun County.

Mr. Anderson was the beloved husband of Barbara Anderson; the loving and devoted father of his six children, Roberta Hudon, Eugenie Anderson, Everett Anderson, Reinhold Anderson, Leslie Anderson and Donora Enriquez; the cherished grandfather of Merrill, Keith, Stephanie, Christine, Jabril, Jameela, Ibrahim, Ismael, Isa, Jusef, Nicholas, Cassandra, Annalise and Ian.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, June 5, 2005 at the Church of the Covenant, 2666 Military Road, Arlington, VA at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The American Lung Association, 61 Broadway, New York, NY, 10006 or go to www.lungusa.org.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Jun. 2, 2005.

Memories and Condolences
for Donald Everett

1 Entry

Roberta Anderson Hudon

June 9, 2005

My father, Donald E. Anderson, served many and will be greatly missed.

He faced Cancer with some uncertainty but was very strong in heart and soul and peacefully read his paperbacks and hardback books to keep him focused in his life that was surrounded by Cancer. His support of his children helped him through the hard times and the good times all the way until the end. He knew that he was in good hands and care.

My commitment is to carry on his dreams, joy, and love for others is UNCONDITIONAL AND FOREVER.

I will, however, miss the quality time his Granddaughter Christine and I shared with him while watching the PBS British Comedies on Saturday Evenings with him or his place in his Chair in the family room that was his throne. And the special times we spent on Saturday sharing Dinner with him either I cooking dinner or the two of us working together as a team to complete a master piece. One checking in the oven for the status and the other doing something else. Neither of us ever getting upset but the love that we had for each other. One Saturday evening Dad started the dinner grace with: "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep......" Don's Granddaughter and I, laughed at my father's prayer and realized that Dad was a little upset about other things. The next time his Granddaughter and I were together for Dinner again, we repeated the Grace/Prayer "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep", and got a big smile from Dad/Grandfather Don.

Don also loved to watch the PBS Daily Evening News.

His artistic talent in Water Color Painting, Oil Painting was shared with his children and grandchildren when we were young. And continued up until the end of life.

He was a simple Carpenter and a Guardian Angle to those that he help save in Ethiopia and Sudan and his creativity in ways to turn problems and issues around on his various assignments with USAID.

He loved the culture art of the many cities he traveled but the most loved was African Art.

While he served in Honduras and at a weekly meeting at the Embassy he got board at the meeting and drew on a yellow tablet trees and mountains.

On this Father's Day I Salute my Father for All He Has Taught Me and Instilled In Me and Many That He Has Touched in his Path of Life and Am Grateful that My Children will Carry On in His Memory.

Roberta M. Anderson Hudon