James M. Anderson January 06, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| View Guest Book Entries| Send Sympathy Card James Moser “Jim” Anderson, of Swarthmore, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2019. He was 94. Jim was born on a farm in Oakland Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, on October 22, 1924.
The farm was founded by his great, great Grandfather, John Moser, who had served as both an enlisted man and officer in the Revolutionary war. Jim was the son of Paul Walter and Susan Jean Moser Anderson and brother to his late sister, Lois. Jim spent his formative years in north-western Pennsylvania, first in the farm town of Eau Claire, and latterly in Franklin, where he became an Eagle Scout.
Jim first came to Swarthmore as a student at the college in 1943, but was drafted late that year. He was eventually sent as a replacement to the 95th Infantry division, then attacking Metz. Here, due to commercial driving experience, he was lucky to be chosen as a liaison driver rather than serve as an infantryman.
Liaison drivers had some, but fewer, exposures to danger than linemen. Jim returned to America in late 1945 and was released from active service as a corporal. Here, he turned to road construction as a worker and engineer’s assistant, while serving as a technical sergeant in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Jim eventually enrolled at Carnegie Institute with the goal of becoming an architect. At Carnegie Jim joined ROTC and the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. War was raging in Korea.
Jim was appointed a reserve engineering officer in late 1950. During one of his detours through Pittsburgh, his sister Lois set him up for a blind date with Elizabeth “Betsy” Wright. Eleven days after their first date they were married.
Late that wedding night they boarded a train for Seattle, where Jim would sail for Korea to join an engineering battalion. While in Korea, Jim earned the Bronze Star. After a year in Korea, Jim came home to join his bride.
They restarted their lives in Franklin. He and Betsy welcomed their first son Sam in 1953. But Jim wanted to attain an engineering degree so the family returned to Swarthmore six weeks after Sam’s birth.
Their daughter, Susan, and second son Joe quickly followed. Jim completed his degree in 1956, and moved to Illinois to work for Caterpillar. After getting laid off in the next recession, Jim entered active duty for a time.
He then decided to learn the curtain wall and monumental window business. This led him to Decatur Alabama where their last child, Tom, was born. Jim and Betsy returned to Swarthmore permanently in 1960.
In addition to his regular job, Jim served for three years as a company commander in the reserves. In the mid-sixties, following a vacation abroad, Jim founded his own business importing European construction materials: monumental windows, venetian blinds, and eventually awnings. Some of these businesses died off, and others were handed off to his children.
In retirement, Jim and Betsy filled their passports with stamps, and engaged in useful works. Jim was a trustee of Swarthmore Methodist Church for a while, as was Betsy. Jim also served as President of the 95th Division Association for a number of years.
In his last years, during times of remembrance, Jim also spoke publicly about his own, and other’s, experiences of war. Commonly, this is something only the elderly can comfortably do. He joins Betsy, his beloved wife of 65 years, who died in 2016.
Jim is survived by his children: Samuel James Anderson (Marie) Susan Jane Anderson Hunter (Kevin Black), Joseph Paul Anderson (Jennifer), Thomas Robert Anderson, as well as Grandchildren James Hunter, Lauren Anderson, Amanda Hunter Fritz (Brian), Emily Anderson and Elliott Anderson. Visitation: 7:00-9:00 PM Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the White-Luttrell Funeral Home, 311 N. Swarthmore Ave. , Ridley Park, PA 19078 and after 10:00 AM, Friday at church.
Funeral Service: 11:00 AM Friday, January 11, 2019 at Swarthmore U.M. Church, 129 Park Ave. , Swarthmore, PA 19081. Burial: Eastlawn Cemetery SERVICES Visitation Thursday, January 10, 2019 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM White-Luttrell Funeral Homes, ltd.
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