A smile is Barbara Anderson’s usual expression because she is a
natural optimist who has learned that a rosy outlook and the
willingness to validate it can work wonders.
A smile is Barbara Anderson’s usual expression because she is a natural optimist who has learned that a rosy outlook and the willingness to validate it can work wonders.
Barbara Cassidy was a Valentine baby, born Feb. 14, 1929, the youngest of the four children of Bert and Jane Cassidy of Auburn, Calif. Her brothers, Victor and Bill Cassidy, and sister Bette have since died.
While she was still a toddler, her newspaper publisher father made a successful run for the state Senate and served for four years during the depths of the Depression.
“It was an interesting life,” Anderson remembered. “Dad owned four newspapers in the Auburn area and there was always something going on.”
Like her siblings, young Barbara had a quick mind and enjoyed learning. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in anthropology at the Eugene campus of the University of Oregon and a master of arts degree in education at Stanford.
While at the former she met a graduate student named Robert Evans Anderson, a Naval veteran of World War II, on a blind date. Each enjoyed the other’s company and that first date led to others. It became clear to both that their lives would entwine. They were married April 26, 1952 and celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary on Saturday.
“On our 50th anniversary last year, everyone – including Bob’s sister from New York – celebrated with us at San Juan Oaks Country Club.” She said. “It was a memorable event.”
Two daughters were born to them. Martha Anderson later married Dan Cliff, and they live in Mill Valley with their children, Will and Janie. Susan Anderson married Bruce Anderson and they live in San Francisco with their daughter, Claire.
The Anderson family moved to Hollister in 1964 and Robert Anderson became a partner of Fulton Picetti in an insurance business that bore their names.
Barbara Anderson soon became involved in her adopted community. With her love of reading, she and Dori Hoyle established the Live Volunteer Reading Program at the county library when Katherine Dooling was librarian.
Gov. Ronald Reagan appointed her and Bill Cagney to the Agnew State Hospital Board. Anderson, along with Margie Gabriel, Marge Brady, Velma Tiffany and Dorothy Matthews formed the Great Books Program at San Benito High School. “It helped many youngsters expand their horizons,” she said.
Also for 10 years, she and Bill Chen were co-chairmen of the California Scholarship Federation at the high school to offer opportunities to many graduating students.
“It’s always rewarding to see a student continue his formal education further than might have been possible without some aid,” Anderson said.
Also, she and Elgie Bellivo obtained the funds to set up Discovery Center from a grant from the state Department of Juvenile Justice to aid young people to stay on the right side of the law.
In the meantime, Robert Anderson was also involved in the affairs of the community. A long-time Rotarian who serves on the local chapter’s board, he was also active with the Boy Scout movement. Anderson was president of the local United Way for three years and was recently elected to a third term on the Sunnyslope Water District board.
They and their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren are a close-knit family who enjoy seeing each other. Many photographs of the grandchildren adorn the walls of the Andersons’ Ridgemark home.
The couple has traveled widely, including Great Britain and many European countries and a memorable cruise in Alaska.
For most of the past decade, the Andersons have been engaged in an enterprise that keeps them busy and allows them to meet many people while doing it. In 1994 they established Wood Stove Kitchens, which makes healthy, delicious foods.
“My grandmother, Sara Elliott McIver, who came from Belfast, Ireland, cooked for more than 60 years on a wood-burning stove in Truckee,” Barbara Anderson said. “She was the inspiration for our enterprise,” she continued. “I have so many memories of her at her wood-burning stove with wonderful aromas arising from it.”
Anderson remembered some of her recipes and also experimented with what is today their top seller, Grannyola, named in her grandmother’s memory.
“It took me five years to get exactly what I wanted,” she said. “It’s a combination of oats, almonds and cashews and a special blend of spices to give it its distinctive taste.”
Other specialties among many include “Miz Sassy’s Cookin’ Sauce,” “Pickle Perfect Red Pepper Relish” and “Pickle Perfect Watermelon Rind.” They are distributed to 90 food stores in northern California, locally at Dorothy McNett’s Place and Casa de Fruta.
Anderson is “doing exactly what I want to be doing, and each day is a pleasure. I have a nice marriage, a nice family, nice friends and have had a wonderful life.”
