John Pyle Anderson

John Pyle Anderson, age 89 passed away on May 10, 2021.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ruth Pratt Anderson. He is also survived by three children, David B. Anderson and his wife Mary, Oxford, PA; Joan A. Dowdrick and her husband Joseph Jr., Lebanon, PA; and James M. Anderson and his wife Amy, Chadds Ford, PA. Other family survivors include his twin brother Robert M. Anderson and his wife Carol, The Woodlands, TX; his sister Judith A. Peters, St. Augustine, FL; and his brother George L. Anderson, West Grove, PA; and his six grandchildren, Alison Taughinbaugh, Joseph Dowdrick, III., Matthew Anderson, Emily Anderson, Kaitlyn Anderson and Jack Anderson; and many nephews, nieces and cousins.

John was born at Chester County Hospital, West Chester, PA, in 1931. He was the son of the late Lawrence Meloney Anderson and the late Frances Baker Anderson. He lived in West Chester, West Grove, Philadelphia, Kennett Square, and Pocopson PA before becoming a resident of the Crosslands Retirement Community in 2003. He attended elementary schools in West Chester and West Grove, and received his high school diploma from Girard College, Philadelphia, PA in 1949. He then enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania graduating in 1953. He subsequently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1956, and was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania.

In 1957, he began his career in corporate and regulatory law with Birdsboro Corporation, Birdsboro, PA followed by FMC Corporation, Philadelphia in 1969 and Columbia Gas Systems Inc, Wilmington, DE in 1973. He retired from the Columbia Gas Legal Department in 1999.

John was a member of London Grove Friends Meeting, and served on the Meeting’s Finance, Religious Education, Kindergarten and Burial Ground Committees, as well as several Western Quarterly Meeting and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Committees. At London Grove he also served many years as Treasurer of the Monthly Meeting, Treasurer of the London Grove Friends Kindergarten, and Secretary-Treasurer of London Grove Friends Burial Ground. When younger, he was a teacher of the First Day School’s high school class, and the First Day School’s Superintendent.

John was also active in community affairs, including two terms on the Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors; Treasurer and Director of the Unionville Community Fair; a director, commissioner, coach and umpire with the soccer, basketball, softball and baseball programs of the Unionville Recreation Association; an officer of the Unionville Middle School and High School parentteacher organizations; a member of the KendalCrosslands Communities Board of Directors; President of the Delaware Chapter of the Federal Bar Association; and a member of the YAG Club for over 65 years.

Burial will be private. At John’s request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.