Roger Bruce Anderson April 20, 1929 – August 16, 2014

A memorial service will be held at the Advent Lutheran Church in Morgan Hill on October 18, 2014, at 3:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, we would like you to please send donations to the Gilroy Foundation- Educational Grants Program. Gilroy Foundation, P.O. Box 774, Gilroy, CA 95021, (408) 842-3727. Advent Lutheran Church, 16870 Murphy Ave, Morgan Hill, CA 95037, (408) 779-3551.
 Roger Anderson passed away in Morgan Hill, CA after battling anemia/pre-Leukemia and related complications.
 He is survived by his three children and three grandchildren: Kirby Anderson and his two children, Avis and Isadora Anderson; Julie Anderson; and Wendy Goris (married to Curt Goris) and their son Trent Goris. Roger is preceded in death by his parents, Hoby and Louise Anderson, and his wife, Rita.
 Roger was born and grew up in Ida Grove, IA. He attended the University of Iowa, where he served as President of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and received his Bachelor’s Degree in English. It was also at the University where he met his wife, Rita Langskov, whom he married in 1955. They were married for 27 years until her death.
 Roger served in the Marines and was in active duty in Korea. He played in the Marines Bugle Corp and ma rched in a Rose Bowl parade.
 Roger taught English for four years in Williamsburg, IA and then accepted a position as a counselor for Gilroy High School, which he held for 31 years. He was a strong advocate for higher education and had a passion for helping his students obtain educational opportunities. His role as a counselor earned him much respect and admiration and he touched many lives.
 Roger also served on the Santa Clara County Board of Mental Health and was a member of the South County Association for the Retarded.
 After retiring, he served as a docent for Gilroy Gardens and was an annual volunteer in Gourmet Alley at the Garlic Festival. He was truly devoted to his community and to society as a whole.
 Roger was well-known for his sense of humor, jokes, stories and extreme generosity. He loved gardening, traveling, barbequing (his rib recipe was famous and perfected over several years), wine tasting and spending time with friends and family. He also loved a wide range of music. He played the trumpet in a trumpet trio that won a State championship and sang in church choirs.
 He greatly enjoyed family vacations and the family spent numerous memorable times at their family cabin in Pollock Pines, CA. He was a very compassionate, humble and fun-loving man who will be sorely missed.