Thinking of John today. Hard to believe it has already been two years since he left us . A wonderful human being who loved his family and friends and loved participating in the political process as a great Democrat.  Most of all I remember John as a person of integrity who took great pride in everything he did. He was a kind and generous friend! We  miss you John! Len and Kathy Lenihan 

I was very sad to hear of John’s death. When I arrived at Cornell University from Australia in 1969 to attend graduate school  John was my room mate in Cascadilla Hall. John was from outside Buffalo and he kindly invited me to visit his home several times. John was very kind and friendly to this weird bloke from Australia. I was very fortunate to have him as a roommate!
We lost touch after Cornell but I was delighted when he got in touch with me a few years back. I had hoped to see him sometime when I visited California but age catches up with us all. Never the less I was shocked to learn of his death.  Debbie and family you had a great husband and father! I know this is a hard time to go through but hopefully your many happy memories will help. Very Best Wishes from Ken Pollock, Raleigh NC . ( Pollock@ncsu.edu)

To Debbie, Scott, Sean and Kelly and family-
I had the good fortune to meet John when he was serving as treasurer of Robin Schimminger's first campaign for the State Assembly in 1976. When Robin won that race I decided to seek the seat Robin was vacating in the County Legislature. Fortunately John agreed to be my treasurer for that race as well.   I won that race by a razor thin margin (170 votes) and could not have done it without John's skill. He took great pride in the financial reports he filed viewing them as an extension of his professionalism and integrity. Nobody questioned John Anderson"s work!! i was proud he was on my team. A few years later John and Debbie made the decision to move to California. Fortunately we kept up our friendship on a long distance basis and always looked forward to the almost annual summer visits they made back home. We always had  breakfast or lunch to get caught up on family, politics and life in general. John adored Debbie his family and i was always touched about how proud he was of each of his children and all that they accomplished but even more importantly about  what great human beings they had become. John always had his priorities down perfectly and always believed in doing the right things the right way. My heart aches knowing i will never see him or talk to him again. However Kathy and I were blessed to know him and have him as a friend. We will honor the spirit in which he lived and always try to conduct our lives in a way that he conducted his. Thank you John Anderson! We will miss you but always remember you!! Len and Kathy Lenihan and family!!


Dear Debbie, Kelly, Sean, Scott, and Margie,
John was truly one of the most caring persons on Earth.  
John, you will be deeply missed by us as well.  You’re my fraternity brother, traveling companion with Charlie to Florida in ’68, a member of our wedding party (and probably a world record of others), and a key player in the reuniting of our brotherhood.  The days of our Greek lives together at UB were the beginning of a journey which resulted in our meeting the ladies we would marry and numerous reunions of brothers over 50 years later.
John, you will live on in our hearts forever.


I first met John at my UB freshman orientation at Tower Hall, July 1964.  As aspiring engineering students, we shared many classes together and developed a great friendship. I came to know his family who treated this “out-of-towner” as a welcomed friend.  It was through our friendship that I became associated, as a social brother, with the great group of guys in Gamma Phi.  I have many memories of the fraternity events and activities with John.  These are my favorite memories of my college years. After UB we both went our ways, but kept in touch.  I was a member of their wedding party in Buffalo as he was in mine in Burlingame CA. We continued to keep in touch throughout the years, getting our families together at various times. These were always special times for me.  In between our visits we kept in touch via phone, discussing family, current events, reminiscing about old times at UB and of course, John’s passion, politics.  After I retired, the outcome of one phone call put me in touch with Dave Becker, 41 years after UB.  This resulted in a mini-reunion with several fraternity brothers at Bob Russell’s in Reno, NV. So, John, you will be missed.  Rest in peace knowing you made a difference in life.  



John was always “Mr. A” to all of us that grew up with Scot. I met him at a slumber party at their house in 1990.  I always appreciated the free legal advice he would give me over the years, but my fondest memories of him are from when he’d play on our softball team, The Freaks. He became such a fixture, we made him his own Mr. A jersey.  Finding someone who could pitch could be a chore, but  Mr. A was always game in a pinch when we needed him. It was great to have him there and I suspect he really relished those times as well.

Was cleaning out our attic a few weeks ago, and, unbelievably, found my Gamma Phi pledge book.  I could hardly believe that it was 52+ years ago that I pledged - Scot Moss was my Big Brother.  The first Brother to give me "assignments" in my book was John.  52 years has somewhat "diluted" my memory, but I do remember John as quiet and very easy to get along with.  My time with Gamma Phi and Brothers like John and Scot clearly made the college experience far better than tolerable.  My favorite times were at our table in Norton Hall (I think that was the name of the building) getting assignments from Brothers, playing cards, and socializing with the best group of guys I would ever meet.  My heartfelt condolences to Debbie and family.  I am convinced John and Jimmy Mills are hoisting a mug together.  Bob 

I was college sophomore when I met John in 1965.  A naive, socially awkward introvert, I joined John in the fall pledge class of Gamma Phi fraternity.  My life changed.  The other two pledges were a year ahead of us.  John and I were also local kids as well as being only a day apart in age, me being the older, a fact I never let him forget.  Perhaps for these reasons I bonded with him better than the other brothers.  Regardless, the transformation had begun.  I was broken out of my shell in no small part by knowing John.  From then on, college was a blast.  I will always be a bit of an introvert, but by his example, I learned how to connect with others and enjoy a satisfying social life.  I thank him for that.

To the entire Anderson family, I'm sorry for your loss.  

When you're young, often times your father is your hero.  I was fortunate enough to have this feeling, but was also surrounded by friends in our neighborhood with great Dads too.  John (Mr. Anderson) was one of those people.  I can remember him as a neighbor, and as one of my best friend's Dad growing up.  Later on they moved away, but I'd always look forward to their family's visit to Buffalo every summer after that.  

Leaving an imprint on others' lives is the best gift you can give as it is timeless, the Anderson family is part of my story, and that is how I'll always choose to remember Mr. Anderson.

From 2004 to the present John Anderson served as Treasurer of the Democratic Alliance for Action (DAA) of Santa Clarita. He was a life long, fully active member of the Democratic Party, from Buffalo, NY. He was a legal scholar and a wonk. He received his undergraduate degree from State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, MBA from Cornell University and law degree from SUNY at Buffalo. An attorney by profession,  he practiced law in New York and Los Angeles

With his legal knowledge and frugal ways he guided and served the members and many DAA Executive Boards. His conservative fiscal policies sheltered DAA from the Kinde Durkee scandal, a campaign treasurer who stole millions from Democratic candidates and clubs. We are grateful his wisdom protected our club's funds. He was very proud to have been chosen as DAA's Truman Award Honoree for Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in both 2007 and 2016.

John entertained us with stories of the Buffalo Democratic machine of which he was a part. He and I joined DAA around the same time; our affinity stemmed from our shared Irish Catholic heritage, identity as Notre Dame fans and as proud Democrats. Our friendship grew while serving on the EBoard together from 2016 to 2018. While he was ill I was the lucky one for when I brought him the club's mail we'd sit and visit and swap stories.  He kept in touch with and spoke fondly of  his law school buddies, many who are judges, elected officials and Democratic Party leaders across the country. He told me about fraternity antics, fascinating legal cases, political campaigns and especially about his  family. It was clear how much he loved them,  how proud he was of his children and their spouses, how happy he was to be a grandpa. 

I will miss him. 

2000 words will not allow a full, adequate appreciation of such a decent, brilliant, principled, wise, results oriented, transcendently civilized, accomplished, unique and valuable person.

John's qualities were a rare, treasured gift , not just to the people blessed to know him, but to multitudes who never did.  They will all go on, enabled and enriched by what John did for them.  As a "gestalt" of who he was, being in his presence calmed all those around him, and allowed them to demonstrate the better angels of their natures.  

He leaves a void that he would want all of us to fill.  I hope that the pain of his loss to his family, and all the rest of us, will be leavened by the countless gifts he has left us, which will go on and on, because of who John Anderson was.

My big brother, you have been my hero since you first helped me "escape" from my crib when our parents slept! You taught me how to play "traffic jam" and build forts. You were with me riding bikes and swimming. You were the best at ping-pong and tennis, and most certainly at calculus! And so much more.
I miss you, Big Brother!

My Dearest Debbie and Family,
I never had the pleasure of meeting your wonderful husband dad and grandpa but I'm sure he was a great and loving man.  
Please know all my love,thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Love and Hugs, Yolanda De La Zerda(Debbie's co-worker at Six Flags)
God Bless

OBITUARY

John M. Anderson

5 March, 1947 – 12 July, 2018

Eternal Valley Memorial Park & Mortuary

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