Andrew William Anderson

Andrew William Anderson, age 85, of Bel Air, MD passed away on October 18. A native of Minnesota, he was the son of Frederick and Amy Anderson and husband of the late Bessie Weldon Anderson. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he saw action in the Korean Conflict. After his Army service, he studied chemical engineering at Georgia Tech. His first civilian job, in the Army’s chemical weapons program, brought him to Harford County, where he resided for the rest of his life.

In his work, Anderson become an internationally recognized expert in the detection and cleanup of toxic sites, including New York’s Love Canal, a crisis which triggered the first instance in American history where federal emergency funds were used for something other than a natural disaster. After retiring from government service, Anderson served as a chemical weapons expert on the U.N. Special Commission team investigating Iraq’s chemical weapons programs.

An avid boater, he was a member of the Bush River Yacht Club for over 50 years and served as its Commodore in 1971.

Mr. Anderson is survived by his son, Gregory Van Anderson, granddaughter, Naomi Most and great-grandson, Calvin Myer-Most.