Clarence Anderson

Clarence Alexander Anderson was an accomplished professional and devoted family man. With a wife he adored and two wonderful sons and their families, he loved them more than life itself.

His priority was his family, even if his career had to suffer. Clarence was grounded in faith and let the hardships of life and challenges in society shape his activities. His personality reflected a desire to make life better for those around him, and his humor made life all the sweeter.

Clarence Alexander was born July 26, 1923 to Gustaf Alexander and Gullhild (Carlson) Anderson on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. He came of age during the Great Depression, which had a profound impact on his life, and meeting the challenge of WWII, he has been numbered among those who are called “The Greatest Generation.”

Clarence’s father supported the family as a brick layer, and his mother gave piano and voice lessons while caring for three children at home. Their address on West Altgeld Street became a cherished place for Clarence and his siblings to form a close and enduring bond. Music was a centerpiece, and family sing-alongs instilled in Clarence the joy of singing and listening to music that lasted a lifetime.

Childhood days were idyllically spent playing softball, swimming, fishing and hunting. Summers meant enjoying the family cottage on the Fox River, Illinois and at Stonehaven, Wisconsin, and the holidays included time with Clarence’s extended family. A favorite playtime activity with his brother LeRoy and sister Mildred was “cowboy for 200 young cattle for a local farmer.” Nothing like thinking broadly while staying close to home.

Clarence attended Barry Elementary School, where one of his best days ways marked by a discovery when he was very young. He came home from school announcing to his mother, “I am not the dumbest kid in the class; there is one dumber.” Truth be told, Clarence was very intelligent. He had an outstanding memory for facts, people and dates of everything imaginable. He read voraciously, especially works of non-fiction and biographies of famous people. He had a poetic side to him that enabled Clarence to see the world as it is and what it could be.

After graduating from Kelvin Park High School in 1941, Clarence enlisted in the Army Air Corp and spent his recruit training in Texas. He served in the Mighty 8th Air Force and was stationed in London, England in 1943, flying 22 missions as a navigator in the B 24 bomber. On December 24, 1944, with over 2000 B-24s and B-17s, Clarence was part of the biggest air raid of World War II. Such campaigns earned him three air medals, the Pathfinder Award and a Presidential Unit Citation for his group’s precision bombing of a major oil refinery in Germany. He was discharged from the Army Air Corp as a first Lieutenant, and while Clarence did not want his military service to define him, he was very proud of his contribution, his fellow servicemen and his country.

Returning home, Clarence enrolled in Wright Junior College and then University of Illinois. He studied hard, was on the swim team and met fellow students who became lifelong friends: Vic Fillipini ended up being his dentist and Glenn Jorian became his insurance agent and a church music minister. After earning a BS degree in Civil Engineering in 1948, Clarence was well prepared for a career that impacted the city of Chicago and beyond.

Clarence worked construction in numerous capacities: chief estimator, engineer, superintendent and project manager. His accomplishments included a truck terminal, housing, a variety of public work projects such as bridges, roads and sewers in Chicago but also in Trenton, Michigan and Washington DC. Originally, Clarence was employed by Kenny Construction in Chicago, then he worked for Arthur Nelson Company and later became a salesman for Symons Forms, Petko Cranes. At age 55, he changed careers, receiving his real estate license and returning to Arthur Nelson Company as an industrial Real Estate Broker. All the while he was developing his career, Clarence never lost sight of what mattered most: family.

Family life for Clarence began when he met a young beautician from Boden, Sweden (near the Arctic Circle). Doris Alvina Berg and he were invited to dinner at the home of a family friend, and that began their two-year dating relationship that culminated in marriage on October 28, 1951 in Evanston, Illinois. They honeymooned in Florida, visiting friends and family, and returned home to live with Clarence’s parents before finding an apartment in Chicago. Their union was a perfect blend of their two personalities, and their lives were further enriched by the births of Gary in August 1953 and Carl in July 1956. Raising his children in Niles, Illinois, Clarence was very supportive and always encouraged his boys to be their best.

Involving himself in his children’s schooling, coaching Little League baseball and being an Indian Guide leader, Clarence ensured the highest quality of life for his sons and his family as a whole. His career made a good standard of living for them, however, rather than spending money on fancy cars and clothes, Clarence focused on travel with his family. He wanted to keep on learning about the world, so trips to Europe, Mexico, Bahamas, Florida, Colorado, California and Michigan were just some of the venues they visited. As a lifelong learner, Clarence was instilling the same values in his children.

As their sons grew up and left home, Clarence and Doris continued to travel. On their trips to Sweden, they came to know several ambassadors and, on one especially memorable occasion, they were granted a personal meeting with King of Sweden, His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf. They also visited Australia (scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef), New Zealand, Thailand, Greece, Belize (scuba diving the Belize Barrier Reef) and numerous destinations within the continental United States. In their 60s, the two of them took ballroom dance lessons, allowing Clarence to further enjoy Big Band Music. He also liked the stylings of ABBA, but his favorite artist was his beloved Doris.

Doris was also Clarence’s boast when it came to cooking. “I married a chef,” he would comment as he enjoyed everything she prepared. Clarence had ample reason to be perfectly content at home, viewing his wonderful life from his favorite chair where he read at least two daily papers, plus periodicals and numerous books. He had an insatiable desire to learn and took his own advice: “Readers are learners.” Clarence could be very strong minded on certain matters and he never lacked passion for debate, but his concern for others trumped any opinion he held.

In 1996, Clarence and Doris they moved to Jenison, Michigan on Berger Lake. He kept up with his daily routine of swimming, living out the YMCA motto of “Body, Mind, Spirit,” and he resumed his community activities. Always looking beyond himself, Clarence spent a lifetime serving others as a volunteer—first coaching and leading youth, singing in the choir at South Park Church and serving on the boards of the YMCA and public schools in Park Ridge, Illinois. He later volunteered at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and The Gerald R Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, His greatest joy was joining the Grand Rapids Lions Club in 1996, partly because he served alongside his son Gary. Clarence was awarded the Lions Club “Rookie of the Year Award” at age 75, and he was given the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award and the Henry Vogt-Grand Rapids Lions Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1997, he and Doris were instrumental in creating and establishing the Swedish American Heritage Society of West Michigan, which today has a membership of nearly 300 strong.

Clarence’s achievements were notable, none more-so than the esteem of his family. He leaves a legacy of love for God, country, his children and grandchildren and his angel, Doris Alvina.

Mr. Clarence A. Anderson, 91, of Jenison Michigan, passed away suddenly on Saturday, November 29, 2014 at his home. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 59 years, Doris, in 2011. He is survived by his two sons, Dr. Gary (Cheryl) Anderson and Carl (Diane) Anderson; five grandchildren, Kristen (Aaron) Plafkin, Erik (Stephanie) Anderson, Carla (Rick) Bolhuis, Luke Anderson and Rebecka Anderson; five great-grandchildren, Carter and Reese Bolhuis, Isaac and Naomi Claire Plafkin, and Zoey Anderson. A Celebration of Life will be held for him at 2 PM on December, 21, 2014 at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Friends are invited to visit with his family on Sunday from 12 PM until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Swedish American Heritage Society of West Michigan or Grand Rapids Lions Club Foundation. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to read his life story, archive a memory or photo, or sign the guestbook online.