Created July 19, 2017
In Memory

- This eternal flame burns forever
- in remembrance of Lois Anderson



Lois Anderson
Born: April 9, 1934
Died: July 17, 2017
Age: 83

Lois Ann Anderson
Lois Ann (Stone) Anderson was born on April 9, 1934 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. When she was five weeks old, her father Merle Clinton Stone
passed away due to a meningitis infection. Soon thereafter, her mother,
Clara Mary (Schultze) Stone (deceased August 1981), and surviving sister,
Irene, resettled in her father’s hometown of Saxton, Pennsylvania where
they lived with paternal family members through the worst years of the
Great Depression.

In 1939, Lois and her family experienced tragedy yet again when her
grandfather perished when crushed in a train accident. The sudden and
unexpected deaths of two men invaluable in Lois’ life at a young age instilled
a lifelong drive in her to minister to those who faced sudden loss of close
family members.

As World War II loomed and work returned to the Philadelphia region,
Clara Stone moved back to Philadelphia with her two daughters in 1940. The
three ladies joined Clara’s mother in her home on Lee Street in the
Kensington section of the city. Over the next ten years, Lois enjoyed the
loving support of a wide circle of aunts, uncles and members of the nearby
Brethren church which she was a member.

As she finished her secondary education in 1953 at the Kensington High
School for Girls Lois and with graduation day near and senior prom looming
Lois had no date to accompany her. A friend arranged a blind date for her
who turned out to be a sailor from the Naval Aviation Supply Depot. Five
months later in the parsonage of the Brethren church, her former prom
date Tom Anderson of Evanston, Illinois pledged his love and affection to
Lois. It was a bond which endured for over 63 years.

Though the ladies of the Brethren Church were counting months, daughter
Lois Ann did arrive on the first day of September of 1954 which was well
into the tenth month of the new marriage. That was a point Lois made sure
to make to “those old bitties” of the Brethern Church as she was showing
off her new born daughter. Shortly the delivery Lois bundled her daughter
for travel and flew off to Argentia, Newfoundland to join her husband at
his Navy duty station.

Naval service took the family to Bainbridge, Maryland and then on to
Norfolk, Virginia. It was in Norfolk and the nearby Portsmouth Naval
Hospital where Tom Jr arrived the scene on Valentine’s Day of 1960. A
couple years later the family moved to the Philippine Island of Luzon and
the town of San Miguel and it’s Navy base there. The family then moved
back to the U.S. and resided in the Washington, D.C. area. The final tour as
a Navy family was spent in the Norfolk area once again.

In August of 1970, Lois was quite happy to end her service as a Navy Wife
when her husband retired from active duty. The plan was to move to
Arkansas where her husband would go to college and study to become an
educator. She was looking forward to a settled life. That plan did not last
long.

By 1972, her husband had announced his call to ministry in the United
Methodist Church and soon the family was serving together on the
Morrilton Parish. When Tom graduated from college in 1975 the family
moved to Richwood, Ohio to serve the Central United Methodist Church
while seminary work was completed.

During the time in Richwood, in October 1976, Lois Ann married Gary Glass
who resided in the community. The wedding events became a impromptu
family reunion for both the Anderson and Stone families. As Lois and Tom
enjoyed hosting siblings, parents and other relations from their families
together all in one setting.

In May 1978, Lois reveled in the celebration of graduation of both her
husband and son respectively just days apart from seminary and high
school. The trio soon departed Richwood to take on an appointment to the
Marshall – Leslie Charge in north central Arkansas. With that move Lois was
clearly excited to be part of fulltime ministry in partnership with her
husband.

Two years passed quickly and the steps for her husband to reach ordination
as an Elder in the United Methodist Church were completed. Lois was
overjoyed to see that step completed and her glee was soon amplified by an
unexpected mid-year appointment to the Hoxie – Clover Bend charge.
During this time son Tom graduated from college and joined the Navy to
follow a family tradition.

Two additional appointments in some half-dozen years landed the family in
Manila with a mission to rebuild a fire destroyed church structure and
Fisher Street in Jonesboro. The final and longest appointment was to the
Clarendon – Holly Grove charge where they served for seven years and
realized a deep personal attachment to the land and lifestyle of the Grand
Prairie. In June 1992, son Tom married Nancy Lewis of Seattle,
Washington.

Full retirement came in June 1996, but retirement did not end the itinerant
lifestyle for which Lois (and Tom) had become accustomed. As she
transitioned away from parsonage life she leveraged the skills and
perspectives in a new direction in the role of a fulltime RV lifestyle and
active participation in Good Sam activities in events throughout the mid-South.

Throughout her life Lois enjoyed the artistic outlet of crochet, knitting and
cross stitch piece work. In her middle years of life her cross-stitch art
products were of professional quality and those who received those tokens
have them still as art work to be savored and appreciated.

In her last couple decades of life Lois began collecting angel icons of all
varieties which came to adorn her home in many ways from including
figurines, needle point and water color prints. She became active in world
network called the Angel Club which anonymously expressed encouragement
and support to those they recognized who needed to know they were loved.

Lois Ann Stone Anderson is survived by her best friend and soulmate,
Thomas E Anderson of Jacksonville, AR; daughter Lois Ann Glass and
husband Gary and their children Christopher and Leigh Ann all of Richwood,
Ohio; son Thomas E Anderson Jr and wife Nancy of Albuquerque, New
Mexico and their children Renee Lewis-Andersen of Oppegard, Norway,
Aaron Lewis of Renton, Washington and Victoria Anderson of Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma. Her sister Irene survives in Chula Vista, California with her
daughter Stacy Degraffenreid at her side.

Lois Anderson roots were from a humble and impoverished background
which had created a strong desire to improve life circumstances for the
less fortunate she did encounter. Her life style and purpose was in-line with
the Beatitudes found in the gospel of Matthew 5:3-10 as she endeavored to
“rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.”

In her last two decades of life she counted the many blessings her life
journey had delivered to her. In recognition of her bounty, she endeavored
to share her talents, gifts and service though active support for the work
of Fishnet Missions of Jacksonville and Trinity United Methodist Church in
the Rose City neighborhood of North Little Rock.

In keeping with her wishes, memorial donations may be made to the either

Fishnet Missions of Jacksonville, Arkansas
1700 Swift Drive, PO Box 972
Jacksonville, AR 72078

Or,

Trinity United Methodist Church
PO Box 17029
North Little Rock, AR 72117

Visitation:
JUL 20. 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Smith - North Little Rock Funeral Home
1921 Main Street
North Little Rock, AR, US, 72114

Funeral Service;
JUL 21. 10:00 AM
Smith - North Little Rock Funeral Home
1921 Main Street
North Little Rock, AR, US, 72114


Sign Lois's Tribute Wall


Though She's gone, She is not forgotten.
Though absent, She remains in spirit.
Though once a worker, She now rest.



by The Arkansas Good Sams

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