Obituary of Martin Anderson

The friendliest guy you could ever meet passed away Saturday, June 15, 2013. Martin Frederick Anderson fought the good fight against laryngeal cancer before moving on to be with his parents and the Lord. He was 66. A husband and father, Martin prided himself in his family, both current and historical. And while cookies of any flavor and the Golf Channel weren’t far behind, his family unfailingly came first to him. Nothing trumped his wife and sons, and he proved it daily. The son of a carpenter and a grade-school teacher, Martin and his “big sis” grew up in one of the smallest houses in Georgetown, KY, at the top of Clinton Street. But small beginnings humbled him, pushing him to levels of hard work and integrity even beyond those aptly displayed by his parents. Martin graduated from Georgetown College in 1969, joining the Air Force and National Guard soon after, in which he courageously served, including time in the Vietnam War, and speedily moved through the ranks for over 30 years, eventually reaching Chief Master Sergeant status, the highest ranked non-commissioned officer in that branch. Martin loved to serve people, so he took a career in public service beginning in 1977, holding an array of positions across several departments and cabinets in local and state government in Kentucky over his 36-year tenure, his longest stint being under what is now called the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, where he was the chief investigative officer. And while he served the public by excellently fulfilling his job duties, he served everyone with whom he daily interacted, in and out of the workplace, by showing interest in and compassion toward all. Martin found no one too unimportant to talk to; he looked at everyone – coworker, bank teller, grocery bagger, ER nurse – as a conversation to have, a story to hear. He loved few things more than a sincere talk and a reflection on life. When he wasn’t at work writing reports and making friends, you could find Martin on the golf course with his buddies shanking drives waywardly into the water hazard, or behind a TV watching “White Christmas” for a thousandth time, or at Kroger unnecessarily buying enough bottled water to fill the city reservoir behind his house. He was also a man of deep Christian faith and a founding member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Frankfort, KY. Martin is survived by his beautiful, loyal wife and friend, Rosalee – with whom he was mere weeks away from celebrating their 40th anniversary – his two sons, Marty and Claude, and his sister, Philamin. Visitation will be held on Monday, June 17, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM, and a funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 18, at 10:00 AM, both at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 121 E. Todd St., Frankfort, KY. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to St. Peter’s Anglican Church or to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.