His obituary is below.
I took some kind of general science from Mr. Anderson in the 8th grade and was terrified of the guy.
Later, at Lakewood Beach when I was safely graduated from high school and a Village of Lakewood lifeguard, I was able to call him 'Gunny,' just like Doss Johnson did. It was hard to do, but he liked his nickname - provided you weren't one of his students anymore.
He was the real deal and liked his students, as hard as he could be sometimes. We listened to live news accounts one of the first space flights over the radio in class - maybe the public address system at SWCS Junior High - and I can still hear him saying 'You're hearing history today. Remember it.'
Aye-aye, Gunny, requiescat in pace.
Gunnard P. ‘‘Gunny’’ Anderson
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12/13/2007 - Gunnard P. ’’Gunny” Anderson, 73, of Jamestown, died at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday (Dec. 12, 2007) in WCA Hospital.
A lifelong area resident, he was born Oct. 10, 1934, in Jamestown, a son of the late Carl O. and Eleanor M. Wilcox Anderson.
He was a 1953 graduate of the former Bemus Point High School and earned his bachelors degree from Michigan State University in 1957. In the following years, he attended St. Bonaventure University, where he earned his master’s degree in education.
He began his career at Southwestern Central School in 1958 as a science teacher in the middle school, where he also began coaching the eighth grade basketball team. He then moved to the High School, where he was a health teacher and a psychology teacher and also served as athletic director for several years. While at the high school, he also served as varsity baseball and basketball coach for many years, where his 1973-1974 varsity basketball team won the Section 6 championship. He retired from Southwestern Central School in 1992.
Surviving are his wife, the former Joan Otten, whom he married Feb. 22, 1958; three daughters: Kelly L. (Jim) Lesinski of Williamsville, Kathy J. (Bill) Tucker of Jamestown and Susan K. (Scott) Walsh of Pensacola, Fla.; a son, David Gunnard (Tammy) Anderson of Jamestown; six grandchildren: Taylor A. Lesinski and Alexandra N. Lesinski, both of Williamsville, Robert W. Tucker, Jonathan P. Tucker and Kate I. Tucker, all of Jamestown and John P. Walsh of Pensacola; and a brother, Carl A. ’’Charlie” Anderson of Jamestown.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Bethel Lutheran Church. The Rev. Norman R. Gauch, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Sunset Hill Cemetery.
Friends will be received from 4 to7 p.m. Friday in the Lind Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Bethel Lutheran Church, 904 West Third St., Jamestown, NY, 14701
