 
APACHE, Ok -- John Edwin Anderson , (Seq.
Class of 1951), 81, went to meet his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, at his home in Apache with his family by his side.John was born May 28, 1932, to Edwin and Jeanette Robinson Anderson in Gerty, Okla. John was a Chickasaw and Choctaw, and had volunteered extensively in his communities of Chickasha and Apache with youth, elders and churches. He was always known to check in on someone sick or even to visit them cheering them with his bright smile. John traveled to Washington DC last year with the Chickasaw Nation for veteran honors. In 1948 John attended Sequoyah Vocational [Indian] School in Tahlequah, Okla. Begining as a freshman, he excelled in football, basketball and boxing. He was well known in eastern Oklahoma as "Big John" for his exploits in athletics. John graduated with the Class of 1951. John was noted in a book written by Patty Dickinson, "Coach Tommy Thompson and the Boys of Sequoyah." In 1949, John was first place in the golden glove championship. He graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in sociology. John worked with the Chickasha School system at the time of his retirement. John married the love of his life Zenia Poemoceah, on Jan. 24, 1952. Shortly after he became a U.S. Army soldier and served his country from 1952 to 1954. He was awarded many medals including ACM, NDSM, GGM and was a current member of the Choctaw Code Talkers Association. His great-uncle, Otis Leader, was a World War 1 Choctaw Code Talker. John and Zenia recently were extras in the movie titled "August: Osage County," filmed here in Oklahoma. The movie is due to release on Christmas day this year. John was an avid golfer with his friend Stan and others. He hit 'a hole in one' more than once! John is survived by his wife, Zenia of the home; three sons: Ray Anderson and Donna Ware, of Apache; John E Anderson, of Lawton; and Larry Anderson with Kaye Ross, of Oklahoma City; three brothers: Ronald Wayne Anderson, of Nashville, Tenn.; James Woodrow and Fran Anderson, of Fresno, Calif.; David Daniel and Peggy Anderson, of Prague; three sisters: Quinne Sue Anderson Witzke (Seq. Cls '54) , of Georgia; Tewanna and Dr. John Edwards, of Shawnee; and Portia Anderson, of Chickasha; along with five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; and many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. John was preceded in death by his father, Edwin Eugene Anderson; his mother, Jeanette Robinson-Anderson; brother, Robert Otis Anderson and sister, Ann (Anderson) Sipes. |