ROCKLAND – Phyllis Mansfield Anderson, 90, of 26 Orchard St., died April 13, 2011, of multiple myeloma cancer. She was born Oct. 27, 1920, in Vassalboro, daughter of the late Col. William Lewis and Lila Farrington Mansfield.
She married her husband, Robert E. Anderson, in 1942, at Winslow Congregational Church, Winslow. Phyllis Anderson was a 1937 graduate of Winslow High School and then Farmington State Teachers College in 1942. She taught primary grades at Waterville, Winslow and China, Maine, elementary schools. During World War II, Phyllis worked under the USA Manpower Commission Stabilization Program employed as a S. B. generator at Lens Factory for American Optical Co., Brattleboro, Vt. She worked with handicapped children at the Institute for Human Development, Chestnut Hill, Pa., and was an activities director at a Rockland nursing home for the elderly, as well as volunteer work at other nursing homes in the Rockland and Camden area. She was active in PTA, polio drives and Cub Scouts.
Phyllis was a 50-year member of Rockland Congregational Church. She was involved with many church functions, especially teaching Sunday school in Rockland, as well as the churches where she lived in Canada and Pennsylvania. Her flower gardens were show places and cut flowers always graced her table. Phyllis was very active in sports including cheerleading during her school years. After marriage she continued on with bicycle riding, skiing, tennis and swimming.
Surviving are her husband, Robert E. Anderson; two sons, G. Robert and his wife, Fontaine Sullivan Anderson, of Jacksonville, Fla., and William L. and his wife, Cynthia Hatcher Anderson, of Palm Coast, Fla.; three grandchildren, Joshua Anderson of Kansas City, Mo., Ryan and his wife, Angie Husslein Anderson, of Overland Park, Kan., and Mariam E. Anderson of Paola, Kan.; a sister, Martha Mansfield Nodding and her husband, Larry, of Palm Coast, Fla.; sister-in-law, Betty Cox Trahan and her husband, Norman, of Vassalboro; several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; and two brothers, William L. and Kerwin W. Mansfield.
There will be a celebration of her life 4-6 p.m. Thursday, May 12, at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St., Rockland, with a short prayer service by the Rev. Seth D. Jones at 5:30 p.m. A committal service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, May 13, at Howard Cemetery, Route 201, Augusta Road, Winslow, concluding with a tea luncheon at Winslow Congregational Church Parish Hall, 12 Lithgow St., Winslow. Family, friends and relatives are invited to both events. Donations may be made to Rockland Congregational Church, Parish Nursing Program, P.O. Box 554, Rockland, ME 04841 or, because of Phyllis’ belief in children’s education, to Friends of the Rockland Public Library, P.O. Box 764, Rockland, ME 04841. Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St., Rockland. To sign Phyllis’ online guest book, please visit obituaries at
www.bchfh.com.