Rev. Dr. Lynn W. Anderson

Rev. Dr. Lynn Wyman Anderson, 80, recently of Holyoke and Southwick, Massachusetts, died July 1, 2018. His passing relieves his body of malaise and frees his Spirit to the comfort and peace of new life.    He is survived by his wife Shirley (Peabody) Anderson and was predeceased by his wife Maren (Simonds) Anderson who died in 1983.  He leaves his son the Rev. Eric Anderson of Hilo, Hawaii; son Christopher Anderson and daughter-in-law Linda Reeder of New Haven, CT; two grandchildren, Brendan Anderson of Boston, MA and Rebekah Anderson, soon of New York City; his sister, Carol Whalen and brother-in-law John Whalen of Westfield, MA; and several special nephews and nieces.  His sister Sonja Kirk died in 2014.  Lynn is also survived by Shirley’s son Kenneth Sherman of Waterford, CT and grandchildren William and Gemma; Shirley’s daughter Kathryn Walker, son-in-law Lyle Walker, and their children: grandson Zachary Kallen; granddaughter Samantha Snyder and grandson-in-law Patrick Synder; granddaughter Peyton Walker, grandson Garret Walker, and grandson Kale Walker.  Their first great grandchild, Magnolia Snyder, was born this year.  Lynn was born in Westfield on April 13, 1938, the son of Sven Anderson Jr. and Mae (Wyman) Anderson of Blandford.  He attended schools in Blandford and Westfield.  He held degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Trinity College, Wesleyan University, the University of Michigan, and Andover Newton Theological School.  He was a long-time resident of the Rockville section of Vernon, CT where he was a teacher at Rockville High School and Supervisor of Mathematics for the Vernon Public Schools.  He was an active member of regional and national organizations of Teachers of Mathematics and was a frequent speaker or workshop leader at conferences.  Lynn and his wife Maren served as National Coordinators for the United Church of Christ expression of Marriage Encounter.  Lynn proudly served as an honorary director of the Blandford Fair.  Following his retirement from the Vernon Public Schools, he completed seminary and was ordained within the United Church of Christ.  He served as an interim pastor in the Connecticut towns of Union, Wallingford, and West Woodstock. He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Westfield.  In his younger years, Lynn hiked and camped with his family.  He enjoyed reading, math puzzles, dancing, live theater, music, and regaling people with his stories.  Most of all, he loved his family and its rich heritage in the hill town of Blandford where his body will lie beside those of generations of relatives while his Spirit joins theirs in God’s embrace. A memorial service will be held on July 14th at 2:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 18 Broad Street, Westfield, the Revs. Elva Merry Pawle and Paul Bryant-Smith officiating.  Burial in the Blandford Cemetery will be private.   Calling hours will be held on Friday, July 13th, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Firtion Adams Funeral Services, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, MA.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Dopafit Parkinson’s Movement Center, Red Rocks Plaza, 15 College Highway Unit C, Southampton, MA  01073, or to Donation Processing  Michael J. Fox Foundation, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 217415014.

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