Donald
”
Don
”
Anderson of Hollister succumbed to cancer on Sunday, May 29,
2005 in San Jose, one week after his 73rd birthday.
Donald “Don” Anderson of Hollister succumbed to cancer on Sunday, May 29, 2005 in San Jose, one week after his 73rd birthday.
In lieu of a formal funeral ceremony, the family has scheduled a memorial tribute for Don at the Anderson home, located at 1234 Aspen Drive, between 1pm and 4pm Thursday, June 2nd.
Don was born in Missoula, Montana, and served in the United States Navy for four years during the Korean conflict.
He became an engineer after graduating from Gonzaga University. He and his wife, the former Maureen Kearns, celebrated their 48th anniversary February 23, 2005.
Toward the end of his 25-year career as an engineer in the Silicon Valley, Don was promoted to a position of supervising former colleagues. Dissatisfied with being away from the drawing board, he asked his wife what she would like to do if he left engineering. She immediately answered, “Start a florist shop.” After putting his affairs in order, he and she began their new careers.
His deliveries frequently took him to Hollister, where he met Tomament and Marchel Nelson of Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home. They became friends and when a local florist shop became vacant, they informed him. Arrangements were made and the Andersons began the operation of San Benito Street Flowers in the mid-90s.
They quickly became involved with their new community. Don joined the Hollister Exchange Club and a few years later and was elected president. He was also a member of the Elks Club and the Monterey Visiting Nurse Association.
The Andersons observed Friendship Day every year by giving hundreds of patrons a dozen roses each to distribute to their friends.
Several years ago, Don learned he had terminal cancer. While undergoing chemotherapy and other treatment, he commented on friends like cancer sufferer Dee Hone, who counseled him, and others like Leonard Poletti, who drove him to-and-from treatments, saying, “All my life, I’ve been fortunate in my friends.” He spoke to other cancer victims or communicated with them on the Internet to cheer them up. Last year, he and his family marched in the annual Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society.
Although the cancer seemed to go into remission for awhile, it returned earlier this year and the treatment noticeably weakened him.
Surviving are his wife, Maureen; four daughters and a son, Karen Anderson, Michele Daish, Susan Dalton, Kristin Kelly and Don Anderson; and seven grandchildren, Sean Daish, Hilary Post, Dan Post, Robby Dalton, Sean Dalton, Laura Dalton and Jack Kelly. As per Don’s request, arrangements have been made for private cremation through Grunnagleament Nelson Funeral and Crematory 870 San Benito St., Hollister, CA 95023.
The family requests that memorial tributes be made to Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society in care of the mortuary chapel. (Relay For Life No. 1-800-227-2345).
