1942
Deacon
2014
Deacon James E. Anderson
September 9, 1942 — December 6, 2014
Deacon James E. Anderson, Maple Street, Munising, died December 6, 2014 at Memorial Herman Katy Hospital in Katy, Texas. He was born September 9, 1942 at the original Munising Hospital on Maple Street, son of Roswell and Pearl (St. Amour) Anderson. Jim graduated from Sacred Heart Grade School in Munising, and in 1956 began ministry formation studies at St. Lawrence Seminary, Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin, graduating from High School in 1960. He was awarded an Associate of Arts degree there in 1962, and then continued his studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, being awarded a Basselin scholarship. He graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy in 1964, and an M.A. in Philosophy in 1965.
During this period he worked summers at the Anderson Service Station in Munising a family business, which also included other employees. He undertook Theological Studies in Rome in 1965, witnessing some of the final sessions of the Second Vatican Council, and attending the Gregorian University as an undergraduate student while living at the North American College until April of 1967, when serious health concerns necessitated his return to the United States and an extended interruption of his studies. During this time he was employed at Forest Glen Resort and at Hub's Super Valu in Munising.
In 1969 he joined the philosophy faculty of St. Mary's Seminary College in Baltimore, Md., where he taught several undergraduate courses in the history of Philosophy and philosophy of knowledge over a four year period, meantime continuing theological studies at their graduate Theology school. When health concerns again intervened to delay his studies, he returned to Munising, where he again worked at Hub's Super Valu.
On October 4 1978, Jim married Joan C. Gauthier, a fellow parishioner at Sacred Heart. Later that year Father Raymond Moncher invited both Jim and Joan to aid in religious education and adult education. Their life together was exceedingly enriched on December 8, 1981, when their daughter Cecilia was born. Jim became a stay-at-home Dad for a year, and in the Fall of 1982, he became a member of the first class of the Marquette Diocese's Lay Ministry Leadership School. In December of 1983, Jim accepted a full-time position at Sacred Heart as Ministries and Adult Education Coordinator, after James Hansen took on other ministry and music responsibilities in Traverse City.
With daughter Cecilia at home with Joan, Jim continued full-time as ministries and adult-education coordinator, and in 1985 began the process of study toward ordained ministry as a permanent deacon, in a program then only in the early stages of development in the diocese of Marquette.
On Friday, May 13, 1988, Bishop Mark Schmitt ordained Jim to the Diaconate at Sacred Heart Church, and assigned him to work under Father Moncher's direction. At various times, Jim's duties as Deacon included ministry to prisoners at the Cusino Corrections Facility and the Alger Maximum Security Facility, Ministry to the homebound, membership on the Diocesan Catholic Board of Education, service as Secretary to the Marquette Diocesan Deacon Council, participation in the "Alive in '95" and later processes of Diocesan Planning, and long-time service as secretary to the Alger County Ministerial Association.
He continued his full-time ministry at Sacred Heart, involved with committees of the parish and finance councils. With Barbara Feldhusen, he taught some of the Sacramental Formation programs, worked with committees in the celebration of the parish centennial, and was involved in the day-to-day details of parish life over 30 years. He also helped to foster an understanding of the parish history and perspective, having worked with pastors and associates of Sacred Heart who served over the past 50 years. He was also involved in presiding at Sunday Communion Services when necessary at Sacred Heart and other parishes when the shortage of priests required it.
In 1997 Father Moncher retired from active parish administrative ministry, and Father Dennis Borca was assigned by Bishop James Garland to be pastor at Munising. Deacon Jim's responsibilities took on new dimensions, including more frequent preaching, ministry to the sick, and a heightened administrative role. It also included expanded ministry to the grieving in the community, and to those who were confined to nursing homes. He was gratified to be joined in Diaconal ministry by Deacon Tom Moseley in Munising, and the increasing number of Deacons ordained to serve in the diocese.
With the retirement of Fr. Borca and Fr. Christopher Gardiner's assignment to Sacred Heart in November of 2004, and the conjoining of St. Therese Mission in AuTrain to Sacred Heart, Jim continued ministry to the sick and grieving, with coordinating responsibilities of ministry in both churches, along with presiding at communion services, wakes and funerals., He also accompanied Fr.Chris at Masses at Alger Maximum prison and in the nursing homes, and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus - 4th Degree.
In July of 2006, Jim began a process of transition to retirement from his parish ministry coordinating and related responsibilities, as parish needs and priorities required, retaining, his diaconal role in a senior deacon capacity. Jim enjoyed various hobbies, including typical house fix-it chores, 3-D puzzles, singing and accompanying sing-a-longs on the piano, fishing, boating and light gardening projects, and his regular daily walks.
Jim's death followed that of his parents, Roswell and Pearl Anderson, and his wife Joan this past June. He is survived by his daughter Cecilia and son-in-law Jaka Hardiwinangun, and their son Anderson Bagja Hardiwinangun, Sisters Barbara (Bob) Losin, Kristin "Kitty" (Dan) Flynn, Eileen (Halldor) Egilsson, Tina (Terry) Pihlainen, brother Paul (Peggy) Anderson, sisters-in-law Charla Younk, Zella (Ron) Greb, Betty Stock, Sue Gauthier, and numerous nephews and nieces and their families.
Visitation will at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising on Thursday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. with a combined parish vigil and Knights of Columbus service at 7:00 p.m. Father Chris Gardiner will celebrate Jim's Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Church on Friday, December 12, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery on Friday, June 12, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Deacon Jim's name may be made to either the Munising St. Vincent DePaul, P.O. Box 102, Munising, MI 49862, or Sacred Heart Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 99, Munising, MI 49862.
During this period he worked summers at the Anderson Service Station in Munising a family business, which also included other employees. He undertook Theological Studies in Rome in 1965, witnessing some of the final sessions of the Second Vatican Council, and attending the Gregorian University as an undergraduate student while living at the North American College until April of 1967, when serious health concerns necessitated his return to the United States and an extended interruption of his studies. During this time he was employed at Forest Glen Resort and at Hub's Super Valu in Munising.
In 1969 he joined the philosophy faculty of St. Mary's Seminary College in Baltimore, Md., where he taught several undergraduate courses in the history of Philosophy and philosophy of knowledge over a four year period, meantime continuing theological studies at their graduate Theology school. When health concerns again intervened to delay his studies, he returned to Munising, where he again worked at Hub's Super Valu.
On October 4 1978, Jim married Joan C. Gauthier, a fellow parishioner at Sacred Heart. Later that year Father Raymond Moncher invited both Jim and Joan to aid in religious education and adult education. Their life together was exceedingly enriched on December 8, 1981, when their daughter Cecilia was born. Jim became a stay-at-home Dad for a year, and in the Fall of 1982, he became a member of the first class of the Marquette Diocese's Lay Ministry Leadership School. In December of 1983, Jim accepted a full-time position at Sacred Heart as Ministries and Adult Education Coordinator, after James Hansen took on other ministry and music responsibilities in Traverse City.
With daughter Cecilia at home with Joan, Jim continued full-time as ministries and adult-education coordinator, and in 1985 began the process of study toward ordained ministry as a permanent deacon, in a program then only in the early stages of development in the diocese of Marquette.
On Friday, May 13, 1988, Bishop Mark Schmitt ordained Jim to the Diaconate at Sacred Heart Church, and assigned him to work under Father Moncher's direction. At various times, Jim's duties as Deacon included ministry to prisoners at the Cusino Corrections Facility and the Alger Maximum Security Facility, Ministry to the homebound, membership on the Diocesan Catholic Board of Education, service as Secretary to the Marquette Diocesan Deacon Council, participation in the "Alive in '95" and later processes of Diocesan Planning, and long-time service as secretary to the Alger County Ministerial Association.
He continued his full-time ministry at Sacred Heart, involved with committees of the parish and finance councils. With Barbara Feldhusen, he taught some of the Sacramental Formation programs, worked with committees in the celebration of the parish centennial, and was involved in the day-to-day details of parish life over 30 years. He also helped to foster an understanding of the parish history and perspective, having worked with pastors and associates of Sacred Heart who served over the past 50 years. He was also involved in presiding at Sunday Communion Services when necessary at Sacred Heart and other parishes when the shortage of priests required it.
In 1997 Father Moncher retired from active parish administrative ministry, and Father Dennis Borca was assigned by Bishop James Garland to be pastor at Munising. Deacon Jim's responsibilities took on new dimensions, including more frequent preaching, ministry to the sick, and a heightened administrative role. It also included expanded ministry to the grieving in the community, and to those who were confined to nursing homes. He was gratified to be joined in Diaconal ministry by Deacon Tom Moseley in Munising, and the increasing number of Deacons ordained to serve in the diocese.
With the retirement of Fr. Borca and Fr. Christopher Gardiner's assignment to Sacred Heart in November of 2004, and the conjoining of St. Therese Mission in AuTrain to Sacred Heart, Jim continued ministry to the sick and grieving, with coordinating responsibilities of ministry in both churches, along with presiding at communion services, wakes and funerals., He also accompanied Fr.Chris at Masses at Alger Maximum prison and in the nursing homes, and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus - 4th Degree.
In July of 2006, Jim began a process of transition to retirement from his parish ministry coordinating and related responsibilities, as parish needs and priorities required, retaining, his diaconal role in a senior deacon capacity. Jim enjoyed various hobbies, including typical house fix-it chores, 3-D puzzles, singing and accompanying sing-a-longs on the piano, fishing, boating and light gardening projects, and his regular daily walks.
Jim's death followed that of his parents, Roswell and Pearl Anderson, and his wife Joan this past June. He is survived by his daughter Cecilia and son-in-law Jaka Hardiwinangun, and their son Anderson Bagja Hardiwinangun, Sisters Barbara (Bob) Losin, Kristin "Kitty" (Dan) Flynn, Eileen (Halldor) Egilsson, Tina (Terry) Pihlainen, brother Paul (Peggy) Anderson, sisters-in-law Charla Younk, Zella (Ron) Greb, Betty Stock, Sue Gauthier, and numerous nephews and nieces and their families.
Visitation will at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising on Thursday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. with a combined parish vigil and Knights of Columbus service at 7:00 p.m. Father Chris Gardiner will celebrate Jim's Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Church on Friday, December 12, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery on Friday, June 12, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Deacon Jim's name may be made to either the Munising St. Vincent DePaul, P.O. Box 102, Munising, MI 49862, or Sacred Heart Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 99, Munising, MI 49862.
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