The town of Bedford mourns the loss of Walter M. Anderson, Jr., a longtime resident who died suddenly on April 30, 2013, at the age of 70. A memorial service honoring his life was held on Monday, May 6, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Born in Providence, RI, on June 29, 1942, Walt was raised in Warwick, Rhode Island, and graduated from Warwick Veteran’s Memorial High School in 1960. Walter was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, holding BSEE, MSEE and EE degrees in electrical engineering. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega at MIT. During graduate school, he worked at Texas Instruments in Attleboro, MA, in the field of precision controls and holds several patents from this period. Following graduation from MIT, he worked at Lincoln Laboratory as a member of the technical staff. He and his wife, Betsey, moved to their beloved Bedford in 1967 when he began this job.
In 1969 Walter was one of the original employees of Applicon, Inc., where he designed and developed software for the first two generations of CAD/CAM systems. After working in the field of computer- aided graphics at Atex, Inc. and Lexidata Corporation, Walt became an independent consultant working with many clients including IBM, General Electric, and RJA Associates. He also designed a Public Key Cryptographic System which was patented in 1992. Walter was a founder of Cognition, a pioneering company in mechanical computer-aided engineering, and a member of the Board of Directors of Alloy Computer Products and wTe Corporation. Friends who spoke at his memorial service remembered his willingness to offer advice and expertise to generations of computer scientists and students.
During his career, Walter traveled extensively to Europe, Israel, Japan, and Australia. He also visited China in 1987 as part of a People to People program for those with careers in science and technology. Walt loved spending time with his family both in Bedford and during much-loved summer vacations in Maine. He was an avid and talented photographer whose favorite subjects were family members and friends, and passed that love for photography onto his children. He shared a love of the Red Sox and the New England Patriots with his father and many family members. Walter was very interested in politics and public policy issues and spent much time reading, debating, and emailing about political issues with friends and family. He was also a member and officer of the Bedford Jaycees.
Walt leaves his wife of 48 years, Betsey J. (Eggleston) Anderson, Bedford’s Town Moderator; his son, Dr. Eric M. Anderson and his wife Kimberley Dunsmore; and his daughter, Christine J. Anderson and her husband, Christopher LaPorte, all of Bedford. Bringing great joy to his life were his seven grandchildren, Madelyn Agnes, Parker James, and Noah Christopher Anderson- LaPorte; Briana Monet and Bradford Champion; and Jacob Andrew and Jared Walter Anderson, all of Bedford.
Walter is survived by his father, Walter M. Anderson, Sr., of Warwick, RI; brother James Anderson and wife, Varna, of Wilbraham, MA; sister Christine Sirr of North Kingston, RI; brother John Anderson and his wife, Pat, of Chagrin Falls, OH; and his sisters-in-law, Judy Eggleston and Jan Shepard of Bedford. He was predeceased by his mother, Agnes Hooper Anderson, and his brother in-law, Peter Sirr. He is also survived by an aunt, Marguerite Madsen of Coventry, RI; several cousins; a niece; four nephews; and six great-nieces and -nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 585, Bedford, MA 01730 for the Anderson Family Fund or to MIT, Class of 1964 Student Aid Fund, #3385400, 600 Memorial Drive, Bldg. 98-200, Cambridge, MA, 02139.
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