Warren Thomas Anderson

Warren Thomas Anderson, 81, of Lancaster, PA, died Saturday, April 2, 2016, at home. Born in Houston, Texas, he was the son of the late Chester and Myrtle Grissom Anderson. Warren spent the first 25 years of his life in Houston. A helpful phone call offered a more interesting job in San Francisco. The work (for an engineering/city planning firm) was juggled with completion of his bachelor’s degree in English at the University of California/Berkeley. It was there that he met and married Maralyn Magnuson, who was completing her training to serve in the Lutheran Campus Ministry. Fifty-one years later they still enjoyed each other’s company. The three years living in Berkeley were idyllic. They bought a wonderful car, a Mercury Comet convertible, that carried them on a multitude of explorations into the back country of northern California. And the seafood!!! The next logical step (not that logic played such a major role in Warren’s thought processes) was to add some actual training in City Planning, a bachelor’s in English not serving to impress potential clients. The University of Wisconsin/Madison accepted him and provided a small financial support and Maralyn quickly found a campus ministry job. After two years in Madison, it was time to return to the real world—in this case the Baltimore City Department of Planning. But first another trip. The Comet was sold and a VW purchased to carry them around northern Europe for six weeks. A memorable adventure. The real world of 1967 Transportation Planning in Baltimore was a strong test of his abilities. (It was about this time he began to get inklings that his life’s history was perhaps more a function of luck, rather than merit.) His friends believe the City appreciated his merit; after 24 years, though, he took early retirement and opened a used bookstore in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The store began as a big, empty space in a building owned by Burch Davidson (and built by his grandfather), a steadfast member of St. James Episcopal Church who made sure Warren became one, too. Warren’s love of words and books made Chestnut Street Books a labor of love which lasted 18 years. But, even that wasn’t the best fun or the best luck of his life. The final phase was learning to paint watercolors. His inspiring teacher, Steve Wilson, drew the creativity out of him; in fact, Warren’s colors almost exploded at times. Warren followed Henry Miller’s advice: “Paint as you like and die happy." In addition to his wife, Maralyn, Warren is survived by two sons: Kevin Anderson married to Kathleen Kim, and Paul Anderson married to Martha; grandchildren Sophia and Samuel; and a sister, Nancy Anderson Jermain. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Memorial Service for Warren on Monday, April 11, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 119 N. Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 with Rev. Lauren Schoeck officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 a.m. until time of Service. Interment will be in St. James Memorial Garden. Memorials may be made in Warren’s name to Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, 17604, or St. James Episcopal Church, 119 N. Duke Street, 17602.