For most of his career, Curtis Anderson Sr. taught history at Oakland Community College. But at one point, he nearly made it to the big leagues as a Detroit Tiger.
Mr. Anderson died suddenly Sunday at Detroit's Sinai-Grace Hospital at the age of 67.
The Detroit resident was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Dec 5, 1937, the only child of Daniel L. Anderson and Artis Walker Anderson.
The family moved to Inkster in the late 1940s and Mr. Anderson attended Inkster High School, where he played second base on the baseball team and was considered an outstanding athlete.
Scouts for the Detroit Tigers had been courting him before he hurt his shoulder playing ball. The injury ended his professional baseball aspirations.
After graduation in 1955, Mr. Anderson attended Wayne State University, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in education. He began his career teaching English and social studies at Foch Junior High School in Detroit.
On July 11, 1964, he married Santranella Thomas, whom he met while they were both students at WSU. They had three children.
Mr. Anderson then moved on to Detroit Central High School where he taught history. For a number of years, he spent summers teaching high school students in the Upward Bound college prep program at WSU.
For more than 10 years, he was a part-time instructor of black history at Cranbrook Schools, now Cranbrook Educational Community, in Bloomfield Hills.
But the bulk of his career -- more than 35 years -- was spent as a history professor at Oakland Community College.
From September 1969 until his death, Mr. Anderson taught American history and black history at OCC. Although he could have retired sooner, he insisted on continuing to teach. He worried that if he left, the school might not have another instructor on hand to teach black history.
"He loved history and loved imparting that knowledge to his students," said his wife.
In addition to his wife of 40 years, Mr. Anderson is survived by his two daughters, the Rev. Sharon D. Moore and Rhonda J. Smith; son Curtis Anderson Jr., and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be 2-9 p.m. Thursday at the Swanson Funeral Home, 14751 W. McNichols, Detroit.
Family hour will start at 11 a.m. Friday at Metropolitan Community Tabernacle, 11435 Morang in Detroit.
Funeral services will be at noon with burial in Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren, Detroit 48201
Mr. Anderson died suddenly Sunday at Detroit's Sinai-Grace Hospital at the age of 67.
The Detroit resident was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Dec 5, 1937, the only child of Daniel L. Anderson and Artis Walker Anderson.
The family moved to Inkster in the late 1940s and Mr. Anderson attended Inkster High School, where he played second base on the baseball team and was considered an outstanding athlete.
Scouts for the Detroit Tigers had been courting him before he hurt his shoulder playing ball. The injury ended his professional baseball aspirations.
After graduation in 1955, Mr. Anderson attended Wayne State University, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in education. He began his career teaching English and social studies at Foch Junior High School in Detroit.
On July 11, 1964, he married Santranella Thomas, whom he met while they were both students at WSU. They had three children.
Mr. Anderson then moved on to Detroit Central High School where he taught history. For a number of years, he spent summers teaching high school students in the Upward Bound college prep program at WSU.
For more than 10 years, he was a part-time instructor of black history at Cranbrook Schools, now Cranbrook Educational Community, in Bloomfield Hills.
But the bulk of his career -- more than 35 years -- was spent as a history professor at Oakland Community College.
From September 1969 until his death, Mr. Anderson taught American history and black history at OCC. Although he could have retired sooner, he insisted on continuing to teach. He worried that if he left, the school might not have another instructor on hand to teach black history.
"He loved history and loved imparting that knowledge to his students," said his wife.
In addition to his wife of 40 years, Mr. Anderson is survived by his two daughters, the Rev. Sharon D. Moore and Rhonda J. Smith; son Curtis Anderson Jr., and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be 2-9 p.m. Thursday at the Swanson Funeral Home, 14751 W. McNichols, Detroit.
Family hour will start at 11 a.m. Friday at Metropolitan Community Tabernacle, 11435 Morang in Detroit.
Funeral services will be at noon with burial in Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren, Detroit 48201
For most of his career, Curtis Anderson Sr. taught history at Oakland Community College. But at one point, he nearly made it to the big leagues as a Detroit Tiger.
Mr. Anderson died suddenly Sunday at Detroit's Sinai-Grace Hospital at the age of 67.
The Detroit resident was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Dec 5, 1937, the only child of Daniel L. Anderson and Artis Walker Anderson.
The family moved to Inkster in the late 1940s and Mr. Anderson attended Inkster High School, where he played second base on the baseball team and was considered an outstanding athlete.
Scouts for the Detroit Tigers had been courting him before he hurt his shoulder playing ball. The injury ended his professional baseball aspirations.
After graduation in 1955, Mr. Anderson attended Wayne State University, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in education. He began his career teaching English and social studies at Foch Junior High School in Detroit.
On July 11, 1964, he married Santranella Thomas, whom he met while they were both students at WSU. They had three children.
Mr. Anderson then moved on to Detroit Central High School where he taught history. For a number of years, he spent summers teaching high school students in the Upward Bound college prep program at WSU.
For more than 10 years, he was a part-time instructor of black history at Cranbrook Schools, now Cranbrook Educational Community, in Bloomfield Hills.
But the bulk of his career -- more than 35 years -- was spent as a history professor at Oakland Community College.
From September 1969 until his death, Mr. Anderson taught American history and black history at OCC. Although he could have retired sooner, he insisted on continuing to teach. He worried that if he left, the school might not have another instructor on hand to teach black history.
"He loved history and loved imparting that knowledge to his students," said his wife.
In addition to his wife of 40 years, Mr. Anderson is survived by his two daughters, the Rev. Sharon D. Moore and Rhonda J. Smith; son Curtis Anderson Jr., and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be 2-9 p.m. Thursday at the Swanson Funeral Home, 14751 W. McNichols, Detroit.
Family hour will start at 11 a.m. Friday at Metropolitan Community Tabernacle, 11435 Morang in Detroit.
Funeral services will be at noon with burial in Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren, Detroit 48201
Mr. Anderson died suddenly Sunday at Detroit's Sinai-Grace Hospital at the age of 67.
The Detroit resident was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Dec 5, 1937, the only child of Daniel L. Anderson and Artis Walker Anderson.
The family moved to Inkster in the late 1940s and Mr. Anderson attended Inkster High School, where he played second base on the baseball team and was considered an outstanding athlete.
Scouts for the Detroit Tigers had been courting him before he hurt his shoulder playing ball. The injury ended his professional baseball aspirations.
After graduation in 1955, Mr. Anderson attended Wayne State University, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in education. He began his career teaching English and social studies at Foch Junior High School in Detroit.
On July 11, 1964, he married Santranella Thomas, whom he met while they were both students at WSU. They had three children.
Mr. Anderson then moved on to Detroit Central High School where he taught history. For a number of years, he spent summers teaching high school students in the Upward Bound college prep program at WSU.
For more than 10 years, he was a part-time instructor of black history at Cranbrook Schools, now Cranbrook Educational Community, in Bloomfield Hills.
But the bulk of his career -- more than 35 years -- was spent as a history professor at Oakland Community College.
From September 1969 until his death, Mr. Anderson taught American history and black history at OCC. Although he could have retired sooner, he insisted on continuing to teach. He worried that if he left, the school might not have another instructor on hand to teach black history.
"He loved history and loved imparting that knowledge to his students," said his wife.
In addition to his wife of 40 years, Mr. Anderson is survived by his two daughters, the Rev. Sharon D. Moore and Rhonda J. Smith; son Curtis Anderson Jr., and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be 2-9 p.m. Thursday at the Swanson Funeral Home, 14751 W. McNichols, Detroit.
Family hour will start at 11 a.m. Friday at Metropolitan Community Tabernacle, 11435 Morang in Detroit.
Funeral services will be at noon with burial in Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren, Detroit 48201
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