Peter Anderson, July 1, 1968

(from Larry Franks )  “Pete died as he lived – adventurously and following his passion. It happened during summer vacation, a year before our class graduated. Pete was hiking and mountaineering (in Colorado, I think) and fell off a mountain. His departure was a loss not just to his immediate family, but to the family of man.

Everybody at Morse College liked him; he was the most generous and giving person I ever knew. That was true when he died in 1968, and it’s still true almost 50 years later.

While at Yale, he probably spent as much time counseling youth and working for charities as he did on his scholarly and social pursuits. Owner of a well-worn VW Beetle, he seldom used it himself, as he was happy to loan it out to any classmate needing wheels. I learned to drive a stick shift thanks to Pete’s VW — “Don’t worry about not knowing how to shift,” he said in his inimitable gravelly voice, “…you’ll pick it up on the way; you’ll be double-clutching by the time you get to Vassar.” He was right.

Seeing him working with the kids he tutored and mentored was like seeing the Pied Piper in action; they loved him, and he loved being with them. At graduation, some of us passed the hat for a scholarship in Pete’s memory. I wish I’d had more money then, to give to that fund, but I still hold in my memory his cheerful example of what it means to be a good citizen and a good guy.”

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