Wife, mother, grandmother, world traveler

Virginia (Ginny) Worthington Anderson, a longtime Claremont resident, died on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 in La Mesa, California. She was 90. 

Mrs. Anderson was born on June 21, 1922 in New York, New York to George and Irene Worthington. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she worked as a speech pathologist at the University of Minnesota from 1946 to 1948.

She met her husband Roy Anderson at UW and married him on January 3, 1948. Their marriage of 65 years was a testament to their love and devotion for each other. The most treasured part of the day for Mr. and Mrs. Anderson was in the evening when they watched the news, held hands and said a prayer of thankfulness followed by an affirmation of their undying love and a kiss.

Mrs. Anderson raised their 3 children and was a devoted and loving grandmother, never missing a dance recital, play or musical event.

Over the years, the Andersons traveled the world together, exploring every continent except Antarctica. Always a seeker of knowledge and adventure, Mrs. Anderson studied Spanish in college and later became fluent in Italian and French in her 60s. Her command of languages afforded her the ability to travel to many countries, always touching the lives of others. She developed longstanding relationships with the residents by helping a young family in Nepal and keeping up a correspondence with people around the world.

A renaissance woman, Mrs. Anderson was an accomplished poet and the author of By the Wings of the Morning, the story of her family’s yearlong adventure to the Seychelles in 1963. She was also a devout Christian yet respected and explored the many religions of the world. Before relocating to the San Diego area 2-and-a-half years ago, she was a 40-year resident of Claremont.

Mrs. Anderson is survived by her husband, Roy Anderson; by her 3 children and their partners, Dr. Wayne Anderson and his wife Jeanine LaFrance of La Mesa, California, Dr. Reid Anderson and his partner Denise Grimes of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Carolyn Anderson Styler and her husband David Styler of La Cañada, California; and by 4 grandchildren, David Anderson, Kristen Anderson, Lindsay Styler and Lauren (Styler) Vargas and her husband Rolando Vargas.

A celebration of Mrs. Anderson’s life will be held on December 14, 2012, 2 p.m. at Casa de Mañana, located at 849 Coast Blvd. in La Jolla, California. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Christ Church, 1127 N. San Antonio Ave., Ontario CA 91762.