Obituary for Curtis "Rod" Anderson
Curtis “Rod” Anderson was born on August 20, 1928 in Superior, Wisconsin.
He was an outdoorsman growing up in Superior. He enjoyed rustic camping trips with friends, including canoeing and fishing. His family moved to Grand Rapids in 1945.
Rod’s military career started in 1945 with an Honorable Discharge from the Navy after serving only one week (at the age of 17! Shhhhh!). WWII had ended.
He attended the University of Michigan School of Engineering where in June of 1950 he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. While at the University of Michigan, his academic achievement was recognized, including being awarded a membership in the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society.
Everyone will remember Rod as an avid fan of Michigan football. Who knew he had considered attending Michigan State? He had previous college credits from Superior State Teachers' College and Grand Rapids Junior College. The way he told the story, he was driving east and hit MSU first. They wouldn’t accept one of his transfer credits so he continued to THE University of Michigan. They accepted all of his credits. The rest is history. Go Blue!
His professional employment began at Fisher Body Division of General Motors, where he was employed as an engineer until 1951. This position gave him experience and insight into the automotive industry, as well as training and exposure to production and industrial engineering.
The second part of Rod’s military career started in 1951. Stationed in both Fort Riley, Kansas and Texarkana, Texas, he served in the Infantry Division of the Army until 1953, where he was honorably discharged as a Corporal.
In 1954, he began working as a Sales Engineer for Newcomb Detroit (a general contractor of industrial processing systems). Three life-changing events happened there. 1) he established numerous sales contacts, 2) he met the love of his life, and 3) he met his future business partner Bill Pink.
Rod married Maureen “Reene” Anderson in 1956 after a courtship of (mostly) Michigan football games. She was hooked after the first game (on both football and Rod).
Rod and Bill Pink incorporated their business Sheet Metal Industries in 1958 in Melvindale, Michigan. SMI was involved in the design, fabrication and installation of paint finishing equipment and other factory systems requiring sheet metal fabrication. Their main customers were in the automotive industry. Their business was successful.
Rod and Reene raised their family in Troy, Michigan. Rod was a volunteer coach for Little League. Although he was busy with Sheet Metal Industries, he also made sure to take his family out to numerous Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and (of course!) Michigan football games over the years. “The Bus” (a yellow, 70s-era GMC motor home with a giant M on the side) became THE ride to the football games. He also built skating rinks in the back yard, erected batting cages in the back yard (for little league practice!), and also built a “flying cage”. Ask his children and nieces/nephews how fun that was! Once their kids were grown, Rod and Reene moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
They retired in 1984 and for 30 years spent the winter months in Singer Island, Florida. They met many good friends and lived the dream.
Rod is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Reene Anderson; loving children, Scott (Kathleen Burchi) Anderson, Tracie (Edward) Hawkinson, and Tammy (Jeffrey) Cooper; and his adored grandchildren, Dana, Tommy, Mitchell, Linnea, Nick, Tara, and Abby. He is preceded in death by his dear son, Curtis J. (Lana) Anderson; parents, Donald and Linnea Anderson; and brothers Donald Anderson and Bruce (the late Lana) Anderson.
So rest in peace Rod. Cowabunga. This is a HARD house! Check another one off the list. Onward and Upward. It don’t get much better than that. Let’s play the snoozing game. And take the rest of the day off...
A memorial gathering will take place at Nie Funeral Home - Carpenter Road Chapel on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 from 2:00 - 4:00pm. There will be a Memory Sharing Ceremony beginning at 3:30pm.
He was an outdoorsman growing up in Superior. He enjoyed rustic camping trips with friends, including canoeing and fishing. His family moved to Grand Rapids in 1945.
Rod’s military career started in 1945 with an Honorable Discharge from the Navy after serving only one week (at the age of 17! Shhhhh!). WWII had ended.
He attended the University of Michigan School of Engineering where in June of 1950 he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. While at the University of Michigan, his academic achievement was recognized, including being awarded a membership in the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society.
Everyone will remember Rod as an avid fan of Michigan football. Who knew he had considered attending Michigan State? He had previous college credits from Superior State Teachers' College and Grand Rapids Junior College. The way he told the story, he was driving east and hit MSU first. They wouldn’t accept one of his transfer credits so he continued to THE University of Michigan. They accepted all of his credits. The rest is history. Go Blue!
His professional employment began at Fisher Body Division of General Motors, where he was employed as an engineer until 1951. This position gave him experience and insight into the automotive industry, as well as training and exposure to production and industrial engineering.
The second part of Rod’s military career started in 1951. Stationed in both Fort Riley, Kansas and Texarkana, Texas, he served in the Infantry Division of the Army until 1953, where he was honorably discharged as a Corporal.
In 1954, he began working as a Sales Engineer for Newcomb Detroit (a general contractor of industrial processing systems). Three life-changing events happened there. 1) he established numerous sales contacts, 2) he met the love of his life, and 3) he met his future business partner Bill Pink.
Rod married Maureen “Reene” Anderson in 1956 after a courtship of (mostly) Michigan football games. She was hooked after the first game (on both football and Rod).
Rod and Bill Pink incorporated their business Sheet Metal Industries in 1958 in Melvindale, Michigan. SMI was involved in the design, fabrication and installation of paint finishing equipment and other factory systems requiring sheet metal fabrication. Their main customers were in the automotive industry. Their business was successful.
Rod and Reene raised their family in Troy, Michigan. Rod was a volunteer coach for Little League. Although he was busy with Sheet Metal Industries, he also made sure to take his family out to numerous Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and (of course!) Michigan football games over the years. “The Bus” (a yellow, 70s-era GMC motor home with a giant M on the side) became THE ride to the football games. He also built skating rinks in the back yard, erected batting cages in the back yard (for little league practice!), and also built a “flying cage”. Ask his children and nieces/nephews how fun that was! Once their kids were grown, Rod and Reene moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
They retired in 1984 and for 30 years spent the winter months in Singer Island, Florida. They met many good friends and lived the dream.
Rod is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Reene Anderson; loving children, Scott (Kathleen Burchi) Anderson, Tracie (Edward) Hawkinson, and Tammy (Jeffrey) Cooper; and his adored grandchildren, Dana, Tommy, Mitchell, Linnea, Nick, Tara, and Abby. He is preceded in death by his dear son, Curtis J. (Lana) Anderson; parents, Donald and Linnea Anderson; and brothers Donald Anderson and Bruce (the late Lana) Anderson.
So rest in peace Rod. Cowabunga. This is a HARD house! Check another one off the list. Onward and Upward. It don’t get much better than that. Let’s play the snoozing game. And take the rest of the day off...
A memorial gathering will take place at Nie Funeral Home - Carpenter Road Chapel on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 from 2:00 - 4:00pm. There will be a Memory Sharing Ceremony beginning at 3:30pm.