Edwin Allen Anderson, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend, known as Eddie, Grandad, and “E” to many, passed away Wednesday, January 29, 2020 in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was 80 years old.
He was born in Durant, OK, April 7, 1939 as the younger son to Opal Hines Anderson and Leland Henry Anderson. Graduating from Boswell High School in 1957, Eddie married the love of his life, Barbara Sue Bryant, of Bokchito, OK on June 21, 1957 in Stillwater, OK. They both were attending Oklahoma State University, known at the time as Oklahoma A & M.
Eddie was very proud of his small-town Oklahoma roots. Growing up in Boswell, childhood activities included playing the piano, horseback riding, fishing, and helping-out his father on the farm. In high school, he was active in FFA, basketball, baseball and the glee club, which qualified for state honors all 4 years. And as a young adult he loved to golf, play moon, and bowl, winning many championships.
His love of people and communication was a natural combination for him to become a disc jockey, which he considered to be his first “real” job as an adult, working first part-time, and later full time at KSEO radio station in Durant. With a career focus of “on-air” and “public broadcasting,” Eddie’s next career milestone was to purchase radio station KVLH, in Pauls Valley, OK where they lived for several years.
God blessed his marriage with two daughters, Christina (Chrissy) Dawn born on Dec. 1, 1962 and Kara Michelle, born on Sept. 5, 1964.
In 1971, he returned to Boswell with his wife and two young daughters, to join the family business at Anderson Grocery working side by side with his father and brother, and numerous other valued co-workers. During his years as an adult living in Boswell, he supported and contributed to the community in numerous ways as a volunteer firefighter for over 20 years. He served as president of the Boswell Chamber of Commerce and enjoyed being part the Annual Boswell Homecoming planning committee.
If you knew Eddie, then you knew of his love of horses. One of his fondest memories of being a child was going horse-back riding on the Anderson homestead outside of Boswell. In partnership with several of his closest friends, he invested in quarter horse and thoroughbred racehorses, which included several winners over time: Straw Niner and Hollywood Shortcut.
Eddie spent the later part of his career working in advertising and sales for several companies, including Cable One in Denison from which he received numerous achievement awards.
He was an active member of the Waples Memorial United Methodist Church of Denison for the past 20 years, where he was instrumental in supporting the development of Stephen Ministries to benefit the church community.
Eddie and Barbara were blessed with 62 years of marriage, and a large extended circle of family and close friends.
He is survived by wife Barbara Bryant Anderson of Denison, TX; daughters Chrissy Anderson of Belmont, MA and Kara Holt and husband, Frank W. Holt of Frederick, MD. Three beloved grandchildren include Lela Michelle Berastequi of Belmont, MA; Frank Edwin Holt of Baltimore, MD, and Christina Emily Holt of Frederick, MD. In addition, he was blessed to have numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other extended family, and many old and new friends. Eddie never met a stranger! He is preceded in death by parents Opal & Leland Anderson, mother and father-in-law Orene & L. O. Bryant, his brother Joe Leland Anderson and wife, Wanda, and cherished nephew, Danny Leland Anderson.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, February 1 at 10 am at Waples Memorial United Methodist Church, Denison, TX with Reverend Cheryl Murphy officiating. Graveside burial will follow at approximately 2:00 pm in Boswell, OK at Restland Cemetery.
Additionally, there will be viewing and visitation with family between 9:00 – 10:00 am, Saturday prior to the funeral service also at Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison, TX .
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison, TX.
