Stuart Anderson

Stuart D. Anderson, age 87, of Montville passed away peacefully on July 15^th, 2025.

Stuart was born to Sydney and Lillian Anderson (née Larson) in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 27^th, 1937. The youngest of three boys, Stuart was always a dedicated student and musician. Stuart attended Wesleyan University, originally to pursue his love of music, however, graduated with a Bachelor’s in Finance & Accounting. He then chose to continue his education at the University of Chicago where he earned his Master’s in Economics. He served in the United States Army from 1961 to 1962, continuing in the reserves for an additional five years.

Stuart met his wife-to-be, Eileen Anderson (née Arvila), in 1962 at a coffee social after a church service in Chicago. They fell in love and married a year later on October 26th, 1963 and remained in Chicago for three years. They later moved to Brooklyn, NY where Stuart worked in finance for AT&T. After three years in Brooklyn, Stuart and Eileen moved once more, and settled in Montville, NJ where they lived for 50 plus years. They enjoyed a loving marriage that spanned 52 years in which they cherished many great memories.

Stuart took great pride in being a father and a provider for his three children: Erik, Kirk, and Lisa. While stoic and serious about his responsibilities by nature, he made it a point to take extended time from work for annual family trips to Minnesota where the kids would be joined by their cousins on many fun adventures. Most notable being the year of the “Edmund Fitzgerald” in which Stuart and his brother Duane navigated a stormy houseboat ride while the children found humor in the chaos.

Upon his retirement from AT&T at age 58, Stuart and Eileen made it a point to see as much of the world as possible. Some of the many countries visited were Croatia, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Peru, the Czech Republic, Argentina, Finland, China, South Korea, Albania, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, and Egypt. He had a natural ability to recount his travels in such detail that you would feel transported to the destinations he was speaking of (a bit like one of his favorites, Rick Steves!). After the love of his life and travel partner, Eileen, passed away in 2016 he continued to explore with his immediate family. This included a trip to Israel and Jordan with his son Erik, a trip to Italy with his daughter-in-law Sharon, Alaska with his son Kirk, Greece with his daughter Lisa, and Japan with his eldest grandson Justin.

One of Stuart’s greatest passions was gardening. After settling in their forever home in Montville, he and Eileen took great pride in building and maintaining their diverse garden. This included not only vegetable gardens in which he would enlist the boys to help tend to, but also a variety of perennial plantings in which he would track their progress throughout the years. Often if you would stop by for a visit you would find him walking throughout the yard, tending to his landscape. If you were lucky, you would even get a detailed history as to the why and where each plant originated from. In addition to his passion for gardening, Stuart also never strayed from his love for music. He was an avid pianist and sang tenor in the church choir. As recounted by his children, some of the fondest memories they have are him sitting at the Steinway piano in the living room showcasing his talents.

Stuart and Eileen were devoted members of St. Timothy’s Church. Stuart found great joy in the relationships he built with the congregation and pastors over the years. Singing in the church choir gave him the chance to share his musical gifts and form lasting friendships. For Stuart, the church was more than a place of worship– it was an extended family that brought him deep happiness. 

Stuart is predeceased by his wife Eileen Anderson and his brothers Duane (Shirley) and Ronnie (Mary) Anderson. Stuart is survived by his son, Erik Anderson and his fiancée Kourtney Triola; son, Kirk Anderson and his wife Sandra Anderson; daughter, Lisa Anderson; daughter-in-law, Sharon Anderson; two grandsons: Justin Anderson and his fiancée Marissa McClement, and Jacob Anderson and his partner Evelyn Secallus; and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

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In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Stuart’s name are asked to consider a donation to St. Timothy Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 395 Valley Rd., Wayne, NJ.