Thomas D. Anderson Jr.

Tom Anderson age 90 of Pierson Michigan passed away Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 3:30 pm. Tom, a longtime attorney, died at home in the same bedroom that Jean, his wife of 52 years, passed away a few years earlier. He was with family when he died. From his bed he had a view of Little Whitefish Lake. There was a beautiful sunrise that morning, snow fell in the afternoon, and ducks, geese, and swans came and went on the water. It was like so many past December days. Tom would have been looking forward to the lake freezing over and another season of ice skating and skiing. Many birds were at his feeder--including a cardinal or two. He is survived by his three children: Tom (Holly), Sara (Mike) Dryer, and Amy (Jason) Evans; his grandchildren: Tommy, Jake, Chloe, Aiden, Ian, and Chase; his brothers: Louis, Joseph, and George. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Roberta (Brown) Anderson Sr. and sisters, Jesse and Elizabeth.

Born in 1934, the same year as the Detroit Lions, Tom lived his entire life in the area just north of Grand Rapids. He graduated from the St. Patrick Parnell school near Rockford. He told tall tales of his prowess as a caddy and eventually golfer and member at the Silver Lake Country Club near his childhood home.

The son and grandson of attorneys, Tom followed in their footsteps, attending Michigan State University for his bachelor’s degree and the University of Detroit for his law degree. A voracious reader and inquisitive mind, Tom was always a student of the world.

In 1961, he bought his office at 30 N Main Street in downtown Cedar Springs and started his own practice. He kept showing up day after day for over 50 years. Shortly after hanging his shingle, he joined the Cedar Springs Rotary Club which he was proudly a member of for the rest of his life. On several occasions he served as president. Tom thoroughly embraced the Rotary Club’s motto of “Service Over Self.” He loved life and serving his community, clients, and family.

In 1968, he married Jean Lankamp, whom he met because her father wandered into his office one day looking for some legal work. Jean’s father, Ted, thought this young lawyer might like one of his daughters. Jean, the teacher, and Tom hit it off and they married in the summer of 1968. Jean got a job teaching elementary school for Cedar Springs Public Schools. Together, they bought an old cottage that Jean's father had bought on Little Whitefish Lake in Pierson a few years earlier. In the summer of 1969, they had their first child--Tom. In 1973 they had Sara, and in 1975 they had a third, Amy.

Although not residents of Cedar Springs, Tom and Jean remained active and committed to the town they considered home. Jean taught and Tom kept his quiet practice. He was village attorney for Cedar Springs, Kent City, and Morley for many years. Although his office was most often a cluttered, dusty mess filled with law books and legal documents, Tom often hosted local dignitaries like Emery Monroe, Jack Clark, Steve Rau, Harold Barber. In that office, Io, his longtime secretary, greeted clients and entertained Tom’s kids. Down the street, Marv cut Tom’s hair. Tom knew the tellers at the bank. He and Jean did school shopping for the kids at Veltkamps. When the noon whistle rang, Tom folded his Grand Rapids Press and walked two doors north to the Log Cabin restaurant and shared stories with the same men for years.

On Red Flannel Days you could find Tom on the back of the flatbed truck on Cherry and Main street dressed in his own flannels and a huge bearskin coat that he had accepted in trade for legal services. From this perch, he announced the parade, festival activities, and harassed passersby about the lack of red in their outfits. He did this for over twenty years. After they got married, Jean set up a spread for friends and family in the office down the street. The kids wandered the parade, taking in the mule pulls, craft shows, rides, and the smells of chicken barbeque. Tom always enjoyed telling the stories of his early days when he also got to escort Gerald Ford around the festival. In 1973 when was being vetted for Vice President, the secret service made the day extra interesting.

While Cedar Springs was like home, their true home was on Little Whitefish Lake. Tom loved the water and the outdoors. From their view above the lake they had amazing sunrises. The kids spent most of summer days in the water. Tom loved it too; he swam, paddled his canoe, sailed, windsurfed, anything without a motor. The winters were wonderful as well. Tom was always restless waiting for the lake to freeze.  He cobbled together an iceboat which he sailed when the conditions were right. Shoveled ice rinks for skating every year. From their perch above the lake, Tom documented the variety of birds that arrived at their feeder or that migrated through on the lake. Tom was president of the lake association for years. He ran the meetings, Jean sold the shirts. Birthdays, family reunions, little league team parties, Hilltop elementary staff parties, bridge parties--all get togethers were at the lake. Jean cooked and Tom organized water activities. Uncle Bert and Uncle Gerrit parked their trailers and motorhome on the hill. Aunt Jesse and Aunt Beth brought the kids. Like the pillow Jean selected and placed on her chair beside the fireplace has inscribed, “when we count our blessings we count our days at the lake.” Tom and Jean built a beautiful home on the lake.

That didn’t mean, however, they did not love getting away. Jean packed the food and kids; Tom packed the car, and they took some amazing road trips across the state and country. He wanted to experience everything he could in life. Even in his 70s he hiked with his nephew, David, on Isle Royale. Tom first taught himself to ski at Brady’s Hills in the 1960s, and when the kids came he taught them as well. And he did the same for the grandkids. For 25 years he and Jean treated the entire family to a ski trip to some destination. Jean baked cookies, made soup, and watched the youngest grandkids while everyone else skied. Tom kept skiing into his early 80s. He took his last run down a hill surrounded by his grandchildren.

It wouldn’t be right to finish this long obituary without saying a line or two about his love of sports--all types. Not having organized sports in his own youth, Tom didn’t ever miss one of the kid’s sporting events. They would travel for hours to watch football games in the snow and rain. Not known for breaking the speed limit, the only time Tom threatened it was when they were running late for a volleyball match or softball game. Stories of his golf championships at Silver lake and winning a canoe race on the Rogue River with his brother in law Gerrit were just some of his own lore. He could paddle a canoe, but based on evidence his golfing skills were definitely questionable. But it wasn’t for lack of effort, you could often find him with a putter in his hand while he watched the Lions.

Tom Anderson lived life right. He loved a good cup of hot tea and a good rhyme or pun to make people laugh. He loved serving his family and community. He was an honest trusted voice for his clients. But work was never what was most important. It was the people in his life that mattered most and the adventures we all shared together, big and small. We were blessed to have him in our lives, and thankful he is off on the greatest of all adventures.

The family will greet friends Thursday, December 19 from 5 – 7 pm at the K.E. Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs where the service will be held Friday 12:00 pm. Visitation will begin Friday at 11:00 am. Interment Pierson Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cedar Springs Rotary Club.