ANDERSON, GEORGE S. "LADDIE" George Swisher ("Laddie") Anderson died Tuesday morning, January 12, 2010, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after suffering a fall the previous Saturday. He was 90 years old. He was born on August 28, 1919 in Eureka Kansas, the son of Harry Alexander Anderson and Georgiana Swisher. The youngest of four children, he was raised in Eureka and attended Eureka High School. He then entered the University of Oklahoma in 1942. He interrupted his studies to enlist in the Navy in 1943, serving for three years in the Aleutian Islands with honor and distinction. Upon leaving the service in 1945, he returned to OU and graduated May 31, 1948 with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering and a minor in Geology, the first member of his family to complete a university degree. He joined the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and served as president in his senior year. After graduation, he began his career in the oil business sitting rigs and worked his way up in several, mostly independent, oil companies including Standard of Texas, United States Smelting, Refining and Mining and Don Rounds Oil Company. In 1970 he became the head of Jerry Chambers Oil Producer in Denver. In the early eighties he started an independent oil company in Denver and because he was a wildcatter at heart, named it Puma Petroleum. On a very hot July 6, 1947 in Eureka, Kansas, George married Phyllis Ann McCue. Because he was needed at his Dad's ranch that week, the couple went to Wichita intending a one night honeymoon, but their wedding guests surprised them and everyone spent the night dancing in the honeymooners' hotel room. The couple made their home wherever George's work took them. They moved 18 times in the first 21 years of their marriage to such places as Carrizozo, NM, Houston and Midland TX, Salt Lake City and Denver, CO. Somehow they managed to raise two daughters who became quite comfortable as the new kids at school. George and Phyllis finally settled in Denver Colorado in 1970 and remained there for the next 30 years as he built his own company. During that time, George was active in the IPAA, IPAMS and the Denver Petroleum Club. He served in the latter on the Board of Directors from 1973-76, as President in 1977 and was chosen their Man of The Year in 1979. Despite precious little talent, he gamely pursued the game of golf. Cherry Hills Country Club, The Garden of the Gods, Castle Pines and PGA West in Palm Desert all counted him not only as a devoted member, but a gentleman. George and Phyllis also traveled widely with their family and their friends. George will be remembered for his triple passions: his beautiful wife, his home town, and his beautifully-crafted clothes. Also, he loved to dance. He is survived by his two daughters, Kathleen Moss, of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Kjestine Bijur of Vero Beach, Florida; two grandchildren, Alec Moss and Taylor Moss, and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Phyllis, his older brother Harry, and his two sisters, Helen and Dorothy. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Friday, January 15, 2010 at Koup Funeral Home at 121 N. Oak Street, Eureka, KS, (620) 583-5575, with Dr. Dennis Clark officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: The George S. Anderson Scholarship Fund in the College of Earth and Energy. Please make checks payable to the University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc. Send to, or contact: Paul D. Massad, Senior Associate Vice President, The University of Oklahoma, 339 W. Boyd St., Norman, OK 73019; [email protected] (405) 325-3701; The Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home, 2950 Tennyson St. Denver, CO 80212, www.tennysoncenter.org, 720-855-3324; or The Denver Dumb Friends League, 2080 South Quebec St., Denver CO 80231, 303-751-5772 X7225, www.ddfl.org.
Published in Denver Post on January 14, 2010