Harold Anderson

Harold Anderson was born in St. Louis, Missouri on November 4, 1927 to Vinton Horatio Anderson and Stella Lorene Hosp Anderson.

He started school in Joplin, Missouri. His family moved in 1938 to Jefferson City, Missouri where Harold attended Jefferson City High School where he played football.

In 1945, Harold enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was stationed in Millington, Tennessee and Houston, Texas. The navy was a huge influence on his life – he often remarked that he wouldn’t do it again even for a million dollars but the experience was worth a million dollars.

When his tour was up, he took advantage of the GI bill and attended the University of Missouri. He graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. One week later he married the love of his life, Laurel Louise Stine. They began married life in Louisville, KY where Harold was employed by Seagrams. In 1954, they moved to Kansas City when Harold took a job with Hallmark Cards. While at Hallmark Cards, Harold was assigned the task of getting a promotional product called “Snow Drops” produced in just a few short months in an empty factory in Ohio. Starting with an empty factory floor, he managed to pull off the herculean task of getting the machinery designed and installed and getting the product into production and shipped in time for the holiday season. Once done, the family returned to Kansas City.

In 1968, Harold purchased the L.S. Watlington Company in Bloomington, Illinois. Renaming it Watlington-Anderson, Harold and Laurel moved the family to Normal, Illinois. The business prospered and a branch factory was opened in Snow Hill, North Carolina in 1975.

While in Bloomington, Harold was active in the community serving as a Deacon in their church, being an involved father and being a member of the Rotary club. In1985, Harold and Laurel sold their businesses. At first the plan was to retire but that only lasted a brief time. Then Harold purchased a business in Georgetown, Kentucky and Harold and Laurel moved to Lexington, Kentucky. After closing the business in Georgetown, they moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 2000. There Harold purchased Chalmers Products, a machine shop producing products for the trailer industry. He went into the factory every day until his 93rd birthday; then he cut back to once a week.

After Laurel died in 2018, Harold moved to an independent living apartment in Treyton Oaks Towers. He was able to remain in his apartment until the day he died.

Harold’s lifelong passion was collecting WWII weapons. He was a member of the National Automatic Pistol Collectors Association, the Ohio Valley Military Society, The Ohio Gun Collectors Association, and the National Rifle Association. He often traveled to gun shows across the United States. He and Laurel traveled to Europe several times to do research related to his hobby. Later in life he began collecting US Navy memorabilia.

Harold was a Kentucky Colonel. He was a member of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Auxiliary, First Division and a graduate of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Academy and the FBI Civilian Academy. He was a member of the American Legion and Trout Unlimited. He was a member of Christ United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his daughter Linda Phillips (Van) of Memphis, Tennessee, his son Thomas Anderson (Taryn) of Louisville, Kentucky and his son Timothy Anderson (Sandy) of Stamping Ground, Kentucky. He is survived by grandchildren, Andrew Phillips (Marla), Matthew Phillips (Erica), Christopher Phillips, Marisa Phillips Simmons, Rachael Anderson (Chris Carman), Danielle Anderson Calagione (Robert), Kathleen Anderson, Meagan Anderson, Tamsen Anderson (Becca Smiley), Thomas D. Anderson, Steffi Jo Dutton, Staccijo Anderson, Steeleyjo Rusch (Jason), and Timothy Anderson, Jr.; His brother Donald and 14 great grandchildren also survive.

Friends may call on Thursday, August 14, 2025 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm at Heady-Hardy Funeral Home, 7710 Dixie Highway in Louisville. Services will be held on Friday, August 15, 2025 at 10:30am at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central in Fort Knox.

Sympathy may be expressed by donations to the Treyton Oaks Towers Employee Gift Fund, 211 West Oak Street, Louisville, KY 40203 or the charity of the donor’s choice.