Obituaries
Friday, February 16, 2007; Page B07
Alden B. 'Andy' AndersonNavy Officer, Lay Minister
Alden B. "Andy" Anderson, 75, a retired Navy submariner and defense-industry executive and a Lutheran lay minister, died Feb. 2 of cardiac arrest at his home in Springfield.
Mr. Anderson was born in Cranston, R.I., the son of Scandinavian immigrants. He graduated from Brown University in 1952, and then, true to his Viking heritage and his own family's involvement with things nautical, he was commissioned in the Navy. His 29-year career included submarine duty, amphibious warfare and strategic and materiel planning, with service as commanding officer of the USS Cobbler and the USS Trenton, chief staff officer of Submarine Squadron 16 in Rota, Spain, and commodore of Amphibious Squadron 2.
He was awarded the Legion of Merit with Gold Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star and other decorations.
After retiring in 1982 with the rank of captain, he became a vice president of Science Applications International Corp. In a 20-year career, he managed projects worldwide, primarily command and control center operations, and was a mentor to countless colleagues.
Following his second retirement in 2001, he began a course of study at Concordia College in Bronxville, N.Y., that allowed him to become a ministerial associate. One of the founding members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield, he chose service to the sick and homebound as his primary ministry.
Mr. Anderson also was devoted to the Boston Red Sox, a devotion tempered only by a twinge of regret that he was never able to persuade his wife to abandon the New York Yankees.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, June McLean Anderson of Springfield; two children, Sheryl Anderson Parrott of Los Angeles and Eric Anderson of Arlington; a sister; and two grandchildren.
George Hanscom WilsonBrigadier General
George Hanscom "Hank" Wilson, 88, a brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve, died of ischemic heart disease Feb. 11 at The Virginian retirement community in Fairfax.
Gen. Wilson served in the Army Air Forces during World War II, then owned an insurance company in Macon, Ga. He served in the Air Force Reserve from 1958 to 1973, and his unit was mobilized twice. When he retired, he was the longest-serving wing commander in the Air Force.
He was born in Booneville, Miss., and attended Davidson College until enlisting in the Army Air Forces. He was a pilot instructor at Maxwell Field in Alabama and also flew B-29s at Tinian in the Pacific theater. He was discharged with the rank of lieutenant colonel, after working as deputy inspector for operations in Guam.
After operating his insurance company for 12 years, he returned to the Reserve. When he retired in 1973, he was working full time as base commander of Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia and wing commander of the 403rd Tactical Airlift Wing. Among his military awards were the Legion of Merit and a Meritorious Service medal.
Gen. Wilson and his wife traveled around the United States in a motor home for several months, then shipped it to Europe and drove it there for two years. Upon their return, they lived for eight years in Marietta, Ga. In 1983, they moved to The Virginian.
