Andrew Stratton Anderson, Jr., 83, died Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Mr. Anderson was born on September 26, 1938, to the late Andrew and Margaret Anderson. Born and raised in Sardis, MS, he graduated from Sardis High School and attended Mississippi State, before graduating from Georgia State University. It was in Atlanta that Mr. Anderson met his beloved wife, Ann, and together they started a family. A veteran of the U.S. Military, he served as a Lieutenant in the Air Force. Following his studies, he worked for the Georgia Railroad as a pioneer in computer science and program writing. When computers and technology were still a new phenomenon to many, Mr. Anderson was writing and developing a complex inventory program for the hospitality industry that is still widely in use today. With his programing used in hotels and resorts around the world, he was able to build a business focused on the software, that he sold in 2000, allowing him to retire back to Mississippi. He then developed a passion for competing in field trials with his championship Labrador Retrievers. A far cry from writing computer programming, he found great joy in the companionship of his dogs, and was always looking for ways to fine tune his training skills. Mr. Anderson looked forward to his annual family beach trips and was an avid boater. His prize possession was a 38’ Cabin Cruiser that he named “Margaret Ann” in honor of his wife. He kept his boat on Lake Hartwell, where he and Ann spent many weekends together on the water. Mr. Anderson loved to host his family for dinners, always trying out elaborate recipes or experimenting with a new technique. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Anderson.
Mr. Anderson is survived by his daughter Lynda Shepherd of Sardis, MS; sons, Gary Anderson and his wife, Tina of Port St. Lucie, FL and Alan Anderson and his wife, Tina of Conyers, GA; his sister, Carolee Eldred and her husband, Cliff of Cleveland, TN; grandchildren, Cole Anderson, David Hart, Haley Shepherd, Cameron Shepherd, Gordon Shepherd, Bryan Anderson, Kayla Dishburger, and Sara Anderson; and four great-grandchildren.
