Alan C. Anderson

Alan Charles Anderson was a man of duty and integrity. Blessed with an adventurer's heart, the transcript of his 77 years on this earth is a long and winding one, full of character, full of spirit, full of life. The year 1928 is sometimes called "the calm before the storm", the storm being the depression. It was also a year of amazing inventions that would affect our culture and our way of life. G.E. introduced a television set with a 3" x 4" screen and you could buy a Daven model for $75. Disney delighted moviegoers with the first cartoons with sound, and in that year, the first Academy Awards were handed out. In 1928, life in Hesperia, Michigan , a picturesque community located on the Newaygo/Oceana County border was the home of Charles and Bernice (Lareva) Anderson and their seven children. On November 12, 1928, Bernice, at the age of 46, gave birth to their latest invention, a bouncing baby boy they named Alan Charles. Alan's father owned a local hardware store call "Husband & Anderson" on Main Street in Hesperia. Before the children arrived, Bernice had been a schoolteacher and eventually returned to the classroom. Surrounded by siblings Eloise, Ford, Margaret, Vivian, Marshall, Bonnie Jean and Ronald, young Alan was never without a playmate or attention. Adventure seemed to be always calling Alan and he loved the outdoors. Each summer he looked forward to spending time at the family cottage on Campbell Lake , about 10 miles from Hesperia. Like many boys, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Tragedy struck when Alan was nine years old - his father died. Bernice kept the store going, with Alan helping with the customers and driving the delivery truck. When not playing or working, Alan studied. He was a bright student and when his schoolwork was not challenging enough to keep him occupied, he got "bored." Already coming up with new inventions, he and his Junior High buddy Ed Lockwood decided they were going to start their own business and be the "Bait Barons of Western Michigan". It never hurts to dream. At the age of 16, Alan got a job driving a milk truck before school, picking up the milk from local farms and delivering it to the stores. One day, when the brakes went out, Alan found himself and the truck on the front steps of a church. For Alan, life was a wonderful adventure. In July of 1946, Alan made his way to Chicago to join the Navy. When he reached his destination, the Navy recruiting office was closed, but the Coast Guard office, across the hall, was open. In true Alan fashion, he joined the Coast Guard instead. Boot camp was in Jacksonville, Florida and Alan became an electrician. After two years of service, in ports like Mayport, Florida and Charleston, North Carolina , Alan was discharged and came back to Hesperia to help his mother sell the hardware store. When the store sold, Alan immediately "re-upped" and was sent to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan . One day, October 6, 1951 to be exact, having brought his boat down from the UP to do some fishing, Alan was in Frenchie's Restaurant in Holton, MI where a mutual friend introduced him to the lovely Lorraine Lanciaux. The two were instantly smitten with each other and Alan came down to Holton every two weeks to visit his new girlfriend. The two weeks in between visits were filled with love letters. Blushing, Lorraine recalled that after the children were grown, she burned all her saved letters, thinking they were a little too "racy" for the "children" to read. True love can't wait and with an engagement on January 7, 1952, the couple was married on February 23 of the same year. The ceremony took place in the Rectory of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brunswick, MI . Since they weren't both catholic, the wedding could not take place in the church proper. Lorraine moved to Sault Ste. Marie with Alan, taking up housekeeping in what she called a "palace ranch home" - a 27-ft. house trailer. In July of 1952, Alan was transferred to Hawaii - alone. Lorraine was expecting their first child and could not join him. Daughter Theresa was born in January of 1953. With a family to support, Alan again left the Coast Guard, doing electrical work for several shops around Muskegon . During this time, they built a home next to Alan's mother's home in Hesperia. In 1957, son Karl arrived followed by daughters Vicki in 1959 and Lori in 1963. It was a good time for Alan. He had time for hunting and fishing and passing his skills on to his kids. They were even able to spend time at the family cottage. After five years as a "landlubber", the adventure spirit struck again and Alan re-upped for a third stint in the Coast Guard. This time he was stationed on the USCG Woodbine, a buoy tender out of Grand Haven, MI. The family moved to Ferrysburg to be together. Like his days in school, Alan got bored very easily and often asked to be transferred. Lorraine got used to moving every few years as the family made their home in Buffalo, Maui, Staten Island, New London, Norfolk, Elizabeth City, Muskegon and Cape May. The only time the family didn't go was when Alan was stationed in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska . Finally, in 1977 Alan, with the rank of Chief Warrent Officer, officially retired from the Coast Guard and the family bought a home in Muskegon . Alan fell back on his electrical skills, working for Dilesco and Campbell, Wyant & Cannon. However, adventure called - again - and Alan joined the Merchant Marine. For the next 11 years, he worked part-time on ships plying the Great Lakes , often being gone for 2-3 weeks at a time. He also worked on the car ferry out of Ludington. Alan was an avid ham radio enthusiast. Lorraine had gotten him started when they were in Maui , when she saw a class being offered and told Alan about it. His kids remember that one of the first things they did every time they moved was string up new antennas in the yard, a project that could take hours. The radio came in handy when Alan was in the Aleutians as he and Lorraine could talk through the ham radio phone. Alan formed many friendships through "hamming", friendships that lasted throughout his life. Born in an age of inventions, Alan was an inventor himself. He preferred to make something rather than buy it. He loved taking things apart, fixing them and then putting them back together. One of his inventions was a tractor he built in the basement. Unfortunately, he had to remove the basement stairs in order to get the tractor out. He even installed seat belts in the car, long before they were standard equipment. A man of many talents, Alan was also a writer. He composed short stories and even wrote a novel entitled "The Judas Boat", which sadly was never published. He and Lorraine took up square dancing and belonged to a group called Kissing Cousins. They enjoyed RVing and had a truck camper and several fifth wheel campers over the years. They traveled the United States from corner to corner, many times with little notice for Lorraine to get ready. Alan would say "Let's go" and off they went. Then, when they got where they were going, he would get that "bored" feeling, and back home they would come. Of all his feats and exploits, Alan was proudest of his children and their accomplishments. All were college graduates, with advanced degrees and successful jobs and happy families. When report cards came home, proud Dad put them in the refrigerator for all to see. He may have been a little strict as a father and not big on saying "I love you" but his actions left no question about his feelings for his children. In 2000, Alan was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, a form of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Always the fighter, he signed up for a study of the disease at the University of Michigan . Twice a year he ventured to Ann Arbor , always hoping for a cure. As the illness mellowed his personality, it also began robbing him of his memory. He could still take things apart but could not remember how to put them back together. Lorraine cared for Alan as long as she could, and when this was no longer possible, Alan moved into Dayspring Assisted Living. Knowing his love for "fixing things" the staff kept him supplied with PVC fittings to put together. One day, however, he found himself in the laundry room and promptly took apart all the dryer vents. He told Lorraine afterwards, "They weren't very happy with me." Alan and his family took everything in stride, the good days and the bad, laughing and crying together. Alan Anderson's sister once remarked, "If we could have sent him to MIT he would have changed the world." Alan did change the world, for his family, his friends, and all those who knew him. How lucky they are. Alan C. Anderson, age 77, died Monday, February 27, 2006. His family includes his wife, Lorraine ; 1 son, Karl (Kathy) Anderson of MN; 3 daughters, Theresa (Gerry Novotny) Anderson of WI, Vicki (Thomas) Zilke of Milan, MI, Lori (Menas) Vratsanos of PA; 1 brother Ronald (Aileen) Anderson of Bay City; 10 grandchildren, Jennifer & Betsy Anderson, Adam & Paul Novotny, Shannon & Ben Zilke, Emily & David Wilson, Alex & Maria Vratsanos. Service will be Friday, March 3, 2006, 1:00 PM at Clock Chapel with Fr. Robert Shackles officiating. Friends may visit with the family on Thursday 2-4 & 7-9 PM at Clock Funeral Home. Please visit Alan's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a favorite memory, sign the online guest book or make a memorial contribution to Hackley Visiting Nurse Hospice.