John Anderson

John David Anderson died Oct. 2 at his home in Pacific Beach, Calif. He was 82.

Anderson was born Dec. 10, 1930 at Bemis Point on Lake Chautauqua, N.Y., to Emma Leonora McClure Anderson and Julius "Red" Granere Anderson. They lived in Jamestown, N.Y., until 1944 when the family moved to Fort Collins, Colo., for one year. In 1945 they moved to La Jolla, Calif., where he attended La Jolla High School graduating in 1948. He then attended San Diego State College, graduating in 1951. During this time he was involved in all the activities of the newly established La Jolla Lutheran Church. After obtaining his bachelor's degree, Anderson continued his studies at the University of California at Berkeley. While there he earned a master's degree in 1954 and a doctor of philosophy degree in 1956. On May 13, 1955 he married Leona Anderson.

Anderson spent the majority of his professional career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, Calif. He started at the Lab in 1956 (then named the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory) as a group leader in the experimental nuclear physics division. He soon became the division leader and then served as the associate director for Physics from 1978 to 1983. Anderson was a mentor to young scientists. His coworkers remember him as a dynamic leader who was easy to work with because of his pleasant personality. He was a specialist in cyclotron operation (used to study the structure of matter) and he authored and co-authored over 100 articles in Physical Review and Proceedings in Nuclear Physics. Anderson retired from LLNL in 1991 and moved back to Pacific Beach in San Diego, Calif. He became a Lab associate and continued to work part time at LLNL until 2013. He always kept current with physics and continued contributing to the field even after retirement.

Anderson was an active member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Livermore, Calif., almost from the beginning in 1956. He held most of the offices in the church and was instrumental in its development. In addition, Anderson was active in the local community having been a member of the Board of Valley Memorial Hospital among other civic services. Among Anderson's other honors and services: he was Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin in 1967; he was awarded the Bonner Prize for outstanding experimental research in nuclear physics in 1972; and was given the San Diego State Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1985.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years Leona Anderson and their children, David Alan Anderson, Carol-Gay Yates, Eric Kyle Anderson and wife Michelle and grandchildren, Fallon Anderson, Casey Anderson, Amanda Anderson and Rebecca Anderson.

A memorial service will be held on Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary of Our Savior Lutheran Church at 1385 South Livermore Avenue in Livermore, Calif., 94550. A reception/lunch will follow in the Fireside Room. Memorial donations can be made to Our Savior Lutheran Ministries at the above address.