Joseph Henry Anderer

Joseph Henry Anderer passed away on August 1, 2019 in New Canaan, Connecticut.  He was born on October 12, 1924 to Catherine Margaret (Fleck) and Joseph Lawrence Anderer in Philadelphia, PA.  Joe graduated from Springfield (PA) High School in 1942 as the president of his class, captain of the varsity football team and a member of the honor society.  It was there he developed an abiding love of physical and intellectual challenge.

Attending the University of Pennsylvania as a full scholarship engineering student, Joe left after his freshman year to join the U.S. Navy.  Following basic training, he resigned his naval commission to transfer to the Marine Corps, which required that he repeat boot camp at Paris Island, becoming a Second Lieutenant.  Joe remained on Active Duty until he transferred to USMC Reserves in December of 1945 and was Honorably Discharged in 1952.

Following his active military duty, Joe attended Georgia Institute of Technology graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in both Mechanical and Chemical Engineering.  He was inducted into the Georgia Tech Engineering Hall of Fame in 1996.  While in school Joe met a young nursing student, Ella T’Lene Brinson whom he married in 1948.  They were married for 58 years

Joe’s business career began as a planning engineer at the Atlantic Richfield Corporation, 1947-1955.  He was also assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the Drexel Institute, Philadelphia, during this period.  Joe became the fiber research manager and manager of the textile development laboratory at American Viscose Corporation, 1955-1962.  Joe was executive vice president for textile marketing at Celanese Corporation, 1967-1968, and left to become president of the cosmetic and fragrance division of Revlon, New York City, 1969-1971. He was president and chief operating officer of M. Lowenstein, 1972-1977.

In 1978 Joe acquired Warren Corporation of Stafford Springs, CT.  As owner, president and chief operating officer he oversaw the production of some of the finest woolen, cashmere, vicuna and other natural fiber fabrics in the world, until the mills were sold in 1989.

Joe served on boards of directors of numerous corporate, philanthropic and civic organizations.  These included Grendel Corporation, Greenwood, SC, 1979-1988; Trivest Corporation, Sarasota, FL, 1989-1992; Lincoln Savings Bank, NYC, 1973-1986; New York Ocean Science Laboratory, Montauk, NY, 1973-1980; the Museum of American Textile History, 1986-1993; United States Shoe Corporation, Cincinnati, 1980-1995; Cleyn & Tinker, Ltd., St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada, 1990-1994; Soundwaters, Stamford, CT, 1990-1993; General Clutch Corporation, Stamford, CT, 1991-1995; Storage Sol’ns Inc., Stamford, CT, 1993-1995.

Joe was chairman of the national advisory board, Georgia Institute of Technology 1993-1995; assistant district manager for the Small Business Administration SCORE program, CT, 1992-1995; and chairman, board of directors, of the Southwest Heritage Foundation.  He was a lifetime member of Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma national honor fraternities.

Joe was an avid sportsman and adventurer his entire life.  He loved skiing and especially yacht racing.  He was a Commodore of the Stamford Yacht Club, a member of the New York Yacht Club and a member of the North American Station of the Royal Scandinavian Yacht Club.  He was proud of the fact that he sailed aboard “Nirvana,” an 81’ Maxi, and won the 1985 Fastnet Race of the Royal Ocean Racing Club of the United Kingdom, breaking the speed record by over 10 hours.  He was also quite proud that “Nirvana” won the first yacht race to the People’s Republic of China from Hong Kong.

Joe’s intellectual curiosity took him into lifelong learning in many fields but especially geology, astronomy, physics and world religions as well as being conversant in most areas of current events.  While owning textile mills he experimented with alternate energy sources such as low head hydro-electric.  He also experimented with aqua-culture, raising eels for export markets.  Throughout his life, Joe was an avid traveler and maintained a world map with a pin in each country he had visited.  There were few areas with no pins.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife T’Lene and son Mark H. Anderer.  He is survived by his son Joseph D. and wife Noreen (Mills) Anderer; daughter Nancy and husband John van Lonkhuyzen; his grandsons Benjamin H. and Samuel M. Custin as well as his granddaughters Emily and her husband Kye Lippold and Michelle Anderer.  He is also survived by his brother George, of Punta Corda, FL, and several nieces and nephews.