Patricia Anne Anderson

Mrs. Anderson was born Patricia Anne Manning on April 4th, 1941 to parents Joseph and Anne Manning in Cleveland, Ohio.  She was the eldest of 5 children and is survived by her three sisters Karen, Beverley and Joan and her brother Joseph. She graduated from Regina High School in 1959, also located in Cleveland and then attended Notre Dame College in Ohio. She married the love of her life, John Alan Anderson Sr. on August 12th, 1961 and later moved to Short Hills and Lebanon Township, NJ.  Pat had six children, John Alan Jr. of Chester, NJ, James Arthur of Summit, NJ, Karen Marie of Long Valley, NJ, Mary Martha of Cleveland, OH who died shortly after her birth, Laura Kathryn of Wake Forest, NC and Amy Louise of Westchester, NY.  She is lovingly remembered by her husband, five remaining children, their spouses (Beth, Amina, Mike and Alex) and their families. Patricia and Jack recently retired to Wake Forest, North Carolina in 2013. Patricia loved the warm weather, friendly people and southern hospitality.  She spent her time participating in book clubs, attending exercise classes at the senior center and lunching with the ladies in her neighborhood. Grandchildren could attest to her skill and competitive nature, as she enjoyed spending time playing card and board games of all kinds with her family.  On Tuesday, November 21st, 2017, Mrs. Anderson passed away peacefully with her loving husband, Jack, at her side in Raleigh, North Carolina.

 “Pat” as she was called, was a true humanitarian.  She loved people, plants, animals and cooking.  Pat could whip up a 7- course meal at a moment’s notice (all homemade), and top it off with her apple strudel and chocolate chip cookies.  Additionally, you could bet there was always a pot of soup or sloppy joes warming on the back burner.  Birds came from miles around to eat the leftovers she would toss out the back door. All plants, indoors and out, benefitted from her green thumb. There wasn’t a weed that could get by her. Pat devoted over 10 years of her life to the Millburn/Short Hills First Aid Squad and even delivered a baby in the back of the ambulance, during that time.  She was a mathematician whose theorems were published in math textbooks.  Pat was a true wordsmith, not only during her career as a newspaper writer and editor but in everyday life. She worked as an editor for The Item, The Cranford Chronicle, Recorder Publishing and Elegant Lifestyles.  She could sum up a person or event with pinpoint accuracy with only a few choice words.  She was always reading, especially mystery novels and the newspaper.  She appreciated any tidbit of news on all levels…local, national and beyond.  Pat often asked “what’s newsie?” and truly wanted to know.  It is a little known fact that Pat even filled in as a seamstress for the great Smokey Robinson. She was an avid fan of Lawrence Welk, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and surely would have won the jackpot had she ever had the opportunity to be a contestant. Pat was a beautiful woman, and held the title of Miss Silver Dollar as a teenager.  Mrs. Anderson was very proud of her Slovenian heritage and thoroughly enjoyed a good polka, Slovenian sausage and potica.  Her spirit and joy lives on in her children, each one inheriting one of her gifts: John Jr.’s head for business, James Arthur’s zest for travel, Karen Marie’s delicious cooking, Laura Kathryn’s compassion for others and Amy Louise’s gift of gab.  Mrs. Anderson loved her family. She cherished her role as a wife, mother and grandmother. 

She is survived not only by her sisters and brother, 5 children and 14 grandchildren (Sarah, Billy, Samantha, Grace, John Carlo, Suzi, Michael, Jack, Adam, Charlie, Lucia, Emily, James and Marco), but also by her dear husband “Jack” of 56 years.  Jack was the light of her life, her co-pilot and her soulmate.  Pat (Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt, Friend) will be most remembered for her endless generosity, strong spirit, blunt assessments and ability to fix anything.  Pat devoted her entire life to helping other people and when the time came for her to accept help from others, her independent spirit still remained strong.  She often said that when you are assisting an elderly person you must give them “a wing for a chick,” the wing being their arm and her being the “chick.” She is now finally at rest in heaven and has received the ultimate pair of wings.  A memorial mass will take place on Saturday, January 6th, 2018, at 10:00 am in Saint Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills, NJ. The family will hold a private reception following the Celebration of Life.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to her favorite church, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 11401 Leesville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613. 

The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 110 East 42nd Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10017

https://www.alzinfo.org/donate/donation_form

A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 405 S. Main St., Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919) 556-5811
www.brightfunerals.com

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