Jo Anderson

Jo Anderson loved books, libraries, art, the New York Times, family, cooking, politics, and people -- not necessarily in that order. Josephine Margaret Monahan was born January 31, 1930 in Plainfield, New Jersey and died quietly at home in Yuba City, California on February 18, 2015 after trying to fend off pancreatic cancer. Jo is survived by her three children, Trey Anderson (Wendy Lyle), Jim Anderson, and Cindy Blain; as well as her five grandchildren, Craig, Kristin, Nick, Vivian, and Ben. Her nieces, Michael Levinsky, Susie Woelpper, Mary Ann Driscoll, and Randy Van Sant of New Jersey and Maryland also survive her. Jo married her high school sweetheart, Selden Eberly Anderson, Jr., in 1950. The first time Sel got her out of New Jersey was to go to Morocco in 1952, while he worked on a U.S. Air Force base. The second time they left New Jersey -- for Sioux Falls, South Dakota to build a new post office -- it was the start of their peripatetic lifestyle of moving every two to four years to build or renovate various buildings, including several hospitals, hotels, and finally, the U.S. Capitol building in 1993.'"Every time the family moved, we shoo'ed Mom out the door to make friends. Everywhere we went, Mom settled us in and connected us to the community through good schools, golf, and loose associations with Unitarian Fellowships", noted Trey, her oldest son. Everywhere she went, she subscribed to the New York Times (yes, even Sioux Falls and Yuba City), although she did enjoy the Washington Post during Watergate while living just outside Washington, D.C. in Reston, Virginia. And everywhere Jo went, she made close, active friendships which have endured over the years -- friendships made easier to nurture recently due to email and Facebook. In fact her involvement with the community and friends increased over the last decade or so. As her high school aged granddaughter, Vivian, commented four years ago on New Year's Eve, when learning of all Jo's parties: "Grams has a better social life than I do!" "We are certain that Mom will find Dad and old buddies as well as make new friends wherever she is now," affirmed her daughter, Cindy.In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Friends of the Library in Yuba City or wherever you are now. Private memorial celebrations will be held in Yuba City and Humboldt County -- and we will raise a glass to Jo.