Philip Anderson

Philip Anderson, 66, of Denver passed away on Dec. 20, 2012. Mr. Anderson was born on February 28, 1946 in Oceanside, New York. He spent much of his youth in King's Park, New York where he graduated from Smithtown High School. After high school, Mr. Anderson joined the US Marine Corps in 1965. He served in Vietnam as a Lance Corporal in Charlie Company's 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Division and was honorably discharged in 1967. Mr. Anderson was always proud of his service in the marines and had great respect for others who served in the military. Following his time in the service, Mr. Anderson attended the State University of New York (SUNY) in New Paltz where he obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in African History and then attended SUNY at Stony Brook where he received a Master of Arts degree in Social Anthropology as well as completing course work toward a PhD in that field. His college experience instilled a life-long interest in history and foreign affairs. Mr. Anderson worked as a researcher and policy analyst for the Colorado Department of Transportation for 30 years, retiring in 2007. Following his retirement he joined the URS Corporation as a transportation consultant until 2010. During his tenure with CDOT he authored and co-authored several research papers on various transportation issues. In addition to his work, Mr. Anderson was very involved in public service. He was elected as a Board of Director for District A for the Regional Transportation District and served from 1993 to 1997. He was a major supporter of RTD's light rail and was instrumental in advancing the development and growth of the system. He also served on a variety of other public boards over the course of his life. Mr. Anderson loved Colorado and the outdoors and was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a prolific reader and devoured daily newspapers. Mr. Anderson was a loving, caring father who always spoke about his kids. He is survived by his four children Bebe Anderson, Brigit Larson (Chris), Paul Anderson, Elizabeth Anderson and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Carl and his sisters, Susan and Kim. Mr. Anderson will be remembered by his many friends for his great sense of humor, intelligence, and his willingness to help others. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, December 28th followed by a memorial service at 11 AM on Saturday at Horan and McConaty at 1091 South Colorado Boulevard in Denver. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Trout Unlimited.