Charles Anders

The Reverend Charles Richard Anders, 90, of Village on the Isle in Venice, FL and formally of Minneapolis, MN joined the heavenly choir on April 1, 2020 at the Luke Haven Nursing Home in Venice. He was born July 29, 1929, in Frederick, MD to Charles Richard Anders, Sr., and Ida Ellen Anders (nee Plaine). Always active in the Lutheran Church, he nearly burned down the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Frederick as an overly-enthusiastic altar boy. His passion and talent for music led him to play baritone horn in the Silver Springs Marching Band, play first chair violin in the Frederick High School orchestra, and demonstrate his vocal talent at the Evangelical Lutheran Church and school ensembles. After graduating from Frederick High School he received a BA Degree from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH in 1950. The following year, he earned a BA (Music, Magna Cum Laude) from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. While there, he was a tenor in the nationally known St. Olaf Choir under the direction of Olaf Christiansen. In 1951, he married his life-long love and fellow Wittenberg student, Beverly Florence Thomason of Hartford City, IN. It's important to note that she has always been the better violinist, and shares his wicked sense of humor. In 1954, Charles received a BD Degree from Hamma Divinity School and was ordained into the Lutheran Church of America (LCA). His first call was to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Atlanta, GA, followed by building a mission congregation in Greenwood, IN. He then served as Music Director for Trinity Lutheran Church in Richmond, IN. In 1962, he earned a Master's Degree with Distinction in Musicology from Indiana University. Anders then served on the LCA's Commission on Worship at the denomination's headquarters in New York, New York. During his career, he created hymns, anthems and liturgical material for choirs, organists, pastors and congregations throughout the church. In 1967, Anders became Chairman of the Music Department at Thiel Lutheran College in Greenville, PA. The following year, he joined the music faculty at St. Olaf College, where he taught sacred music and composition until 1973. He then organized the 1973 Lutheran Church Conference on Worship, the 1974 Inter-Lutheran Church Music Institutes, and contributed to the denomination-wide creation of the 1975 Lutheran Book of Worship. He concurrently served as Music Editor at Augsburg Publishing House in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1975, Anders returned to the ministry at Tamarac Lutheran Church in Tamarac, FL; and subsequently moved to Minnesota (in February!) in 1982 to enjoy grandparenthood and to lead Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. After retiring in 1992, he completed interim and supply preaching calls to several congregations in Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin. Charles and Beverly Anders moved permanently to the Venice, FL area in 2011 after ""snow birding"" from their Wisconsin lake home. They moved to Village on the Isle in 2017 and subsequently to Luke Haven in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Charles is survived by his dear fellow-musician wife, Beverly, and two children, Laura, of Venice, FL and Michael (Nance) of Lake St. Croix Beach, MN. He is further survived by: grandson Jacob Anders (Erin) and great-grandson Mikko Anders of Palmer, AL; grandson Thomason Anders (Elizabeth) and great grandsons Martin and Henrik Anders of Copenhagen, Denmark; and granddaughter Marit Anders of Minneapolis, MN. He blessed his entire family with a great sense of humor, a respect for learning, an appreciation for music, a love of gardening, a bent for adventure, and a thirst for the great outdoors. We are all grateful and richer for his example and encouragement. While we mourn his loss, we also celebrate the many gifts he shared with us. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 790 South Tamiami Trail in Venice, Florida, 34285. Memorial contributions may be made in Pastor Charles R. Anders' name to Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran World Relief, PO Box 17061,Baltimore, MD 21297-1061, www.lwr.org; Tidewell Hospice, Philanthropy Department, 5955 Rand Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34238; and to Luke Haven Nursing Home c/o Village on the Isle, Financial Services Office, 920 Tamiami Trail South, Venice, FL 34285. Farley Brothers Funeral Home and Crematory of Venice, FL, is assisting the family (941-488-2291). You may share a memory with the Anders family through them at 265 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice, FL 34285 or at www.farleyfuneralhome.com/obituary/charles-anders.