John B. 'Andy' Anderson, 85

MEREDITH — John B. “Andy” Anderson, 85, passed away at home on March 23. He had been chronically ill for 27 years but maintained a quality of life until the last week.

Mr. Anderson was born in Riverside NJ on Feb. 2, 1926, the youngest child of George L. and Elizabeth (Stott) Anderson. During his early child hood he lived in the Philadelphia PA area. At age 12, the family moved to Washington, D.C. He described Washington D.C. as “the best place on earth” to live as a teenager. He was active as a Boy Scout, and represented them during the draft ceremonies headed by Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. One of his first jobs, at age 15, was as a messenger for “His Majesty’s Royal Purchasing Agent” which he discovered years later was a US sanctioned British spy agency.

At age 17, he left school and joined the US Coast Guard in 1943. It was during that time that he met his future wife, Rebecca Dutton in Rehoboth Beach, Del. They were married on July 25, 1945. They were married one month short of 63 years when she passed away on June 6, 2008.

The family moved from Del to New Hampshire in 1954 where he worked at Prescott Lumber Co. in Meredith. He eventually purchased and expanded the business. He co-owned the lumber yard with his wife through the 1960’s and 1970’s.

He was a member of the First Congregational Church, Meredith, and the American Legion. He was active with the NH Music Festival. He was on the board of the Squam Lakes Science Center from 1970 to 1988, and was the President from 1972 to 1976. He was an honorary member of the Meredith Fire Company.

He retired to Camden, Maine in the 1980’s. He loved New England. He had an interest in the plants and animals of the area, and had a keen interest in history.

Besides his parents and wife Rebecca, he was predeceased by two sisters, Margery Anderson, Ellen Peck, and one brother, George Anderson.

He leaves two daughters and sons-in-law: Karen and Nicholas Foery of Nassau DE,. And Kristen and Paul Eldridge of Meredith: three grandchildren, Daniel Foery of Lancaster PA, Kristen “Andy” Foery, Nassau DE and Zoe Eldridge of Meredith; and a sister-in-law Sandra Hoebee of Milton DE.

In 1994, after a decade of kidney failure, he received the gift of a donor kidney, giving him almost 16 additional years of life. He wanted the following written in his obituary: “I was fortunate enough to receive a kidney transplant from an unknown donor in 1994, which gave me back my life. If you wish to remember me, become an organ donor and make sure your family knows about it, because some day they will have to make a decision.”

A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church, Meredith at 11:30, Saturday, April 2.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name may be made to the Meredith Public Health Nursing Association, 45 NH Route 25, Meredith NH 03253. The Mayhew Funeral Homes, in Meredith and Plymouth, are assisting the family with the arrangements.