Brian John Anderson (1930 - 2015)

One night when we were young, we were at a party at “Milawa.” Brian and I were sitting on a couch having a serious discussion about our future, mainly his, as he was in his last year of Pharmacy, so I asked him what he intended to do. To my surprise, his response was “Well, I have my Judy to think of.” Immediately I pricked up my ears (this was long before his courtship of Barb) thinking I haven’t heard this one before, so made so bold as to say, very cautiously “And who is this Judy?” whereupon he burst into peals of laughter. Apparently my hearing problems must have been in embryo form even then as he hastened to assure me that he had said he had his duty to think of ! We had many a laugh over it as we recalled it in later years. What did it show about Brian? That even at that young age, he had a sense of obligation to step into his father’s shoes, the father he had lost so young. I could barely remember Frank Anderson, but the little bit I do remember is that I thought Brian looked like him.

Time passed, marriage, children-and what a joy it was when he married Barb! For an only girl like me, she and her sisters, Jac and Doone were the nearest thing to sisters I’d ever had. Fast forward now to my parent’s Golden Wedding Anniversary. By that time they were living in town, just a few doors from the Andersons. Naturally Brian and Barb were there for the celebration, Brian already a talented photographer and becoming synonymous at various “do’s’ with that strap over his back. What a lovely surprise a few days later to receive a small easy to-carry photograph album with every precious moment of the evening recorded. I was so touched by his thoughtfulness and generosity and those pictures are still among my most treasured possessions.

Now another leap forward to what I call the tragic era. How could this beautiful family so close to our own, be called upon to suffer tragedy upon tragedy? With the third one, the terrible loss of Barb, how could they possibly cope? One of the local parishioners, a great church-goer and typically Catholic God-fearing lady, surprisingly said to Brian: “It’s a wonder you still believe in God!” His reply without a hesitation: “It’s the only thing that keeps me going.” What an insight into the soul of the man known for his affability, joviality and love of life - all underpinned by the strength of his Christian faith!

With families as intertwined with memories as ours have been it is hard to recall them all but these three have always stood out for me. I share them here as being representative of the early middle and later years and as being typical of the moral compass of his life - devotion to duty, loyalty and generosity to his friends and the rock-solid base of it all, the strength of his faith. St Paul could well say of him: “You’ve fought the good fight; you’ve won the race; you’ve kept the faith.”

Margaret McKay RSCJ 29/6/2015

Jan Wilde

Brian was unique, didn't matter how crook you were, when you went into the chemist, you came out feeling better before you started the script. A lot of chemists today could have learnt a lot from Brian, certainly not the same going to pick scripts up from a lot of chemist shops.

I recently read in the Sydney Morning Herald of the sudden passing of your father.

I just wanted to extend my sympathy to you and all the family. Your father's attitude and response to the vagaries of life was a great example to us all - you must have been so proud of him. Michael O'Rourke

We saw the tribute in the SMH about your father.What a man he was.We remember your parents,and all the fun we had then. Families like yours are such an inspiration,real Aussies,get on with life no matter what troubles they face.We were amused that he gave Johnny Wilkinson advice on goal kicking! You will miss him,but thankfully he did not linger and suffer a long illness.

Best wishes from us both,

Jack and Judy McMahon

Hi Mike -

Thank you for sharing this most wonderful and meaningful tribute to your Dad and his life. I am so sad for your loss ... always so very hard. Your Dad was such a lovely and fun man ... I remember fondly all the fun times I spent in Warren with Caro and Pete having a great laugh with your Dad. One of my vivid memories was jumping on the trampoline and getting eaten alive by mozzies ... you Dad slobbered me up with calamine lotion ... white blotches all over me ... and then back to the trampoline and the fun with lots of laughs from him and us. He was all this things they said about him in the tribute ... but what I loved most and what resonates is that he was just a very classy gentleman ... always willing to help with a smile and twinkle in his eye. For someone who went through so much tragedy ... he really is a role model to us all about living in gratitude even in the face of such great loss.

Sending you and all the family - Tony, Sally, Suzie and Pete my love. CA Gajus-Ramsay California USA xoxo

Hans-Reinhard Abels

to Mike 3 JulDetails Dear Mike, dear Cathy, dear all Anderson family,

it is with great sadness that I today receive the message of your beloved fathers / grandfathers death.

Even though it is decades ago - I take pride in having met this honorable and generous man in person.

I think he couldn`t be describe better than in the words you Mike, my dear friend, found for him and that were printed in the "daily liberal". I was driven to tears when I read them a minute ago.

So - may God take him to a wonderful place and to those of his great family who already went before him.There he may take them all in his arms and they then may all be reunified and finally rest in peace.

Please take our condolences, hugs and kisses.

In the name of my family

Reinhard

Hi Michael,

I have only just read your Dad's obituary via the link Sulli sent me.My deepest condolences for the loss of your father.What a great character he was and what a great role model he was for all of us. I still remember the wonderful hospitality of your mum and dad when you had me up at Warren for a couple of weeks I think over the christmas of 1974 or 75.Beautiful memories.I admit to shedding a tear or two when reminded of what sadness your family has had to endure but most especially for your dad because as fathers/husbands ourselves we can appreciate that sense of personal responsibility for our family's welfare and safety even though no such thing can be gaurenteed by anybody.Life can be so bloody hard! As well as rewarding and wonderful! Thinking of you and your family. stephen byrnes

Just a quick note to say I was saddened to hear news the recent passing of you dad Brian. My clear recollection of Brian from the 1970’s was a upbeat, friendly and strongly charismatic family man. I enjoyed reading the article about Brian’s very full life in last week’s SMH newspaper. He was a good man. Sincere condolences to you and your family.

Kind regards,

Tony.

TONY BENECKE

Your Dad was one of the best men I have ever met when I lived with your gran I had the keys to the,pharmacy in case we needed something at the WDHwhat a laugh nowadays! They would shoot you. Still things were different. But he would always care about every human being . Amazing. Just wanted you to know how I felt .regards to you and all your family .

Laura Marks

In the passage of time and in our peripatetic life style in the Teaching Service, Anne and I have been privileged to meet some special people. Brian Anderson was one such person. Accordingly, we hasten to extend our deepest sympathy to you and all the Anderson family upon your great loss.

When we moved to Warren in 1964, the Anderson Family lived around the corner from us and our daughter, Lynne-Maree, became a playmate of their daughters. Brian, of course, became our Pharmacist and he and I played some golf together. Anne became a member of Brian’s photography class which was conducted in the School’s premises. In each of those encounters, we found Brian to be a person of great personal and professional integrity.

In our household, we have very special respectful memories of Brian including: His indelible friendliness, smile, laughter and capacity to engage with a warm and genuine greeting; His brisk and inimitable stance behind the pharmacy in Warren and the inevitable warm greeting and wave that he extended to all who entered his premises; His universal respect among his customers; His knowledge of the anatomy of a camera and his capacity to assist amateur photographers, such as Anne, and to inspire them to be more adventurous with their photography; His capacity to bear the burden of tragedy with equanimity and composure; His capacity to hit a bad shot in golf, usually a slice, and to make his partners feel no pity for him; His sense of humour and his creativity in delivering it to close friends; His enjoyment of the Holden Kingswood that would rattle past our River Street home on his drive to work; and Very importantly, we remember our last conversation with him and with yourself half-way up the Great Dividing Range between Grafton and Glen Innes on the 17th March. Anne and David Maher Tamworth NSW