Donald A. Anderson

Donald Andrew Anderson passed away on May 6th, 2012 in De Pere, Wisconsin at the age of 91. He was born April 23, 1921 in Ogema, Wisconsin to Andrew and Mabel (Johnson) Anderson. He spent his early life and schooling in the Ogema area. He entered military service in 1942 he was assigned to the Army Specialized Training Program and was sent to Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to study engineering. While there he met Dorothy Booth. Following service in France and Germany with the 100th Division, he returned to the States in February 1946, and he and Dorothy married on the 23rd of that month. They moved to Superior, Wisconsin where he completed work on his BS in 1947 at Superior State Teachers College. He later earned his MS in 1952 and his PhD in 1972 from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Upon his return from WWII he joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard. In 1961 he was called to active duty for the Berlin Crisis and served at Fort Lewis, Washington. He was again called to active duty in 1974 and assigned to the 5th Army Headquarters at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, as the National Guard Liaison Officer to the Commanding General. He retired at Fort Sam Houston in 1978 with the rank of Colonel. In 2002 Donald was inducted into the Wisconsin National Guard Hall of Honor. Donald began his teaching career in 1948 in the Beloit Public Schools. He was later a supervisor in the Central School District in Phillips, and a supervisor in the Portage Pubic Schools prior to joining the staff of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in 1959, from which he retired in 1983. On leave from the DPI from 1964 to 1966 he was a member of a University of Wisconsin education project in Nigeria, West Africa and worked with the Northern Nigeria Ministry of Education. He was member of the Portage Elks Club, Portage Curling Club, the Portage Kiwanis Club, and the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Madison. He was also chairman of the Portage Boy Scouts and later the executive secretary of the Alamo Council of Boy Scouts in San Antonio, Texas. Wherever Donald went he took his family, so together they had many adventures. His children will be forever grateful for his teaching by example and for their parents’ love of travel, adventure, and for one another. Upon retirement, Donald and Dorothy divided their time between San Antonio, Texas and De Pere, Wisconsin. Following Dorothy’s death in 2006, Donald relocated permanently to De Pere. Donald was interested in and cared about people from all backgrounds and all walks of life. He was a true friend, a great brother, a truly exceptional father, as well as a wonderful grandfather. He will be missed by all who knew him. His wife Dorothy preceded him in death on April 7, 2006. He is survived by his children Diane (Mark) Betz of De Pere, Wisconsin; Dennis (Susan) Anderson of Gurnee, Illinois; and Andy (Powell) Trotti of De Pere, Wisconsin; grandsons Jake Betz of Chicago, Illinois; and Andy (Ashley) Betz of Green Bay, Wisconsin; sisters Blanche Gregory of Harwood Heights, Illinois; and Bernice Kohlman of Wausau, Wisconsin; sisters in law, Betty Faloney of Anaheim California; Jackie Lucci of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania; and Margie Booth of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Family and friends may call Friday, May 11, 2012, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Cotter Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 860 N. Webster Ave., De Pere. There will be no formal service. Online condolences may be expressed at www.cotterfuneralhome.com. Donald’s family wishes to thank the staff of the Rennes Health Center in De Pere for the excellent care and love they provided during the last year of his life. In lieu of flowers the family has set up a memorial fund in Donald’s memory.