Elizabeth Anderson

Elizabeth was born in Alexandria, Indiana, to Carl and Irene Patz on August 14, 1929. She died peacefully in her sleep at the Bristol of Tampa Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at 2:45 a.m. on August 19, 2020. She had three brothers: Eugene, Martin, and Hubert. She had two sisters, Thelma Jean, and Carolyn. Her sister, Carolyn, is joining Elizabeth in heaven as she passed away 3 days after her big sister on Aug. 22, 2020 in Alexandria, IN after a short illness. Elizabeth met her husband, Gearld (Jerry) Anderson at work at a factory that was across the street from her family home in Alexandria, IN. She was married on December 31, 1949. Two years later, she and Jerry had one daughter, Cynthia (Cindy) Anderson Smithers born on 12/31/51. She had one stepdaughter, Darleen Anderson Westerfield. One stepson, Darrell Jay Anderson, is deceased. She also had two grandchildren: twins, Kevin and Laura Smithers. She had 3 step grandchildren: Jay Westerfield, Divina Westerfield Maruca, and Jan Westerfield Chambers; many step greatgrandchildren and step great, great grandchildren.

She lived almost half of her life in Alexandria, IN, interestingly on a big hill that her mother referred to as “The Nob.” When she married Jerry, she lived in the same home Jerry built with his brother, Tom. She worked at the National Gypsium Factory where most of her family worked and that is where she met Jerry. After having their baby, Cindy, she worked at Delco-Remy, a division of GM. After the death of her stepson, Darrell Jay, affectionately known as “Little Jerry” the family moved to a home on the amazing Rainbow River in Dunnellon, FL. Then after 5 years there, they moved to Daytona Beach, FL and lived in a beautiful home on the Halifax River. Later, they sold their properties and business so she and Jerry could go on a two-year vacation travelling across the country in their motor home. They ended back in Florida and first settled in Salt Springs and Tavares, but then moved to Seffner after the twins were born.

She and Jerry loved their friends and family. They loved spending time with their friends, the Needham’s in Salt Springs. They also loved her coworkers at Mann MS, Brandon HS and McLane MS. Elizabeth was an excellent cook so it made sense for her to work in the school cafeterias at the above three schools The teachers always liked her because of her big beautiful smile and she would give them some extra portions of food plus she would bring in food of her own from home that she would make and share.. She loved going shopping with Cindy and her grandbabies, Kevin and Laura. She watched them during their early years while Cindy was teaching. Kevin liked to watch the biscuits in the oven while Laura liked to take the pots and pans out of the cabinets. They liked her cooking, too! After moving to Florida, they still had lots of fun with Darleen and her family. Even though most of Darleen’s family stayed in Indiana, they would go north to visit and Darleen and her family came south to visit particularly when they lived on the Rainbow River.

Elizabeth also liked to travel. She and Jerry went on a two-year vacation in their motor home before he became more sedentary with heart disease. She then, without complaining became his caregiver. After Gearld passed away, Elizabeth also liked going on vacations to places like Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Nashville, Oregon, and Colorado to see her grand twins.

Later in life after Jerry passed away (they were married for 42 years) and she and Cindy had to quit going on vacations; she developed Alzheimer’s Disease. Even with this debilitating disease, she always liked to keep busy. One of her favorite things to do was to sweep off Cindy’s driveway. She would do that several times a day. After years with the disease, she spent her remaining time in an ALF and nursing home. This past year it was tough on Elizabeth and her family not being able to visit because of Covid restrictions.

I choose to remember my mom, Elizabeth Anderson; not as a person who suffered from Alzheimer’s, but as a strong, quiet, and thoughtful woman who was loved by her family and friends and who fought to live with grace and happiness. She and my dad were members of Dunnellon First Presbyterian Church and Seffner Presbyterian Church.

She will always live in my heart!

Cindy Anderson Smithers, daughter