Lois T. Anderson
Lois T. Anderson of Southold died on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. She was 90 years old.
Lois was born on April 8, 1932, in Flushing, N.Y., to Alice (Maloney) and Robert Thompson. She was one of three children. After high school, she attended Pennsylvania College for Women (now Chatham College), where she attained her Bachelor of Arts degree in english literature.
On Feb. 27, 1954, at St. Mary’s R.C. Church in Flushing, N.Y., she married the love of her life, Robert D. Anderson. After college graduation, Loie and Bo spent their first year-and-a-half of married life in France, where Bo was based with the U.S. Air Force, raising their first child and making lifelong friendships. Together they had six sons and raised them in Pelham, N.Y., living there almost 40 years.
Lois began spending her summers in Southold in 1935 and she and Bo ultimately became full-time residents in 1996. Her love of the North Folk was manifest by her constant and active involvement in everything the area offered — sailing (a sport she taught all her sons first in a Lawley and then ultimately a Sunfish), swimming, fishing, tennis, boating and just being active in mind and body.
She was a voracious reader and bridge player and was up for a game at any time in person or online. She was vitally interested in her children’s, spouses’, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s lives, wanting to know every detail about their relationships, careers, education, interests and new family members. The agenda was boundless and she was unafraid of telling you what she thought.
Throughout her life she loved traveling, rich desserts (her Scottish shortbread is legendary), parties around the dinner table, where getting a word in edgewise was a challenge, and laughter permeated the entire household. Active in her community, she was a member of North Fork Chorale, American Field Service, Southold Yacht Club, Pelham Public Schools, Southold Historical Society and St. Patrick’s R.C. Church. In short, she loved life and was always proud of and grateful for her family and her friends. As one lifelong friend put it, “We have been fortunate to have Lois as a guide to living life joyously.”
She was predeceased by her husband, Robert; and her sister Jean Cooper and brother-in-law Peter. She is survived by her children, Thomas (Evelyn), of Gwynedd Valley, Pa.; Mark, of Saranac Lake, N.Y.; Pam Anderson Reindel (Tom) of Fairfield, Conn.; Bruce (Susan), of Southold; John (Luisa), of Southold; Jeff (Rhett), of Brandon, Fla.; and Dave of Port Charlotte, Fla. She was GrammyLo to Laura, Kelly, Donald, Jessica, Scott, Michael, Heather, Elizabeth, Robert, Kevin, Brian, Joanna and Judy; and Great-GrammyLo to Ronan, Declan, Liam, Fiona, Jack, Teddy, Vayda and Vienna. She is also survived by sister Judy Collins (Dave) of Reno, Nev. She leaves numerous nieces and nephews from her sisters’ families. The family also appreciates and acknowledges the dedicated service of Mindaugas Balcius, their parents’ devoted caretaker in their later years.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 4, at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Southold, with Father Peter Garry officiating. Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s R.C. Cemetery in Southold. And in true GrammyLo style, the burial will be followed by a darned good party celebrating her life.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Southold Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program in memory of Lois Anderson, P.O. Box 546, Southold, NY 11971, would be appreciated.
DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold is serving the family.
This is a paid notice.
