Digger magazine

Serving the Northwest Nursery Industry for Over 50 Years

  • Digger-Employment_banner-2020-728x90px.jpg
  • NG_banner-2020-728x90px.jpg
  • FW_banner-2022-728x90px.jpg
  • Home
  • Articles
    • Nursery News
    • Features
    • Plants
    • Growing Knowledge
    • Operations
    • Nursery Country
    • Meta
  • Issues
  • Events
  • Farwest
  • Columns
    • Director’s Desk
    • Mike Darcy
    • Pivot Points
    • President’s Message
  • Employment Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / Nursery News / George Anderson, founder of Anderson Pots, passes away

George Anderson, founder of Anderson Pots, passes away

By Curt Kipp — Posted July 1, 2019

George Charles Anderson, founder of Anderson Die & Manufacturing Co. in Portland, Oregon

George Charles Anderson, founder of Anderson Die & Manufacturing Co. in Portland, Oregon

A memorial service will be held later this month for George Anderson, founder of Anderson Die & Manufacturing Co. in Portland, Oregon. He passed away peacefully in his sleep the morning of July 1 at his home in southwest Portland. He was 98 years old.

George was a key driver behind the Oregon nursery industry’s movement from growing plants in coffee cans and food containers to using resuable plastic containers. Anderson Die was one of the first companies in the Northwest to offer plastic pots for propagation and growing. The ready availability of these containers helped propel the Oregon nursery industry’s strong growth over the past six decades plus.

George was born June 26, 1921 at the Camp Mead army base in Maryland to Charles and Ida Mae Anderson. After Charles retired from the U.S. Army, the family moved to Corvallis, Oregon, where George attended Oregon State University for more than three years. During World War II, he then went to work for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Burbank, California, on projects such as the P-38 fighter aircraft. He spent six years at the company and served as a union representative.

After the war ended, George and his first wife, Elaine, moved from California back to Oregon, where they settled in Hillsboro. In 1954, George founded Anderson Die & Manufacturing Co. with a small plant on Macadam Avenue in Portland. The company later expanded to a larger facility just off of McLoughlin Boulevard, near the Sellwood district of Portland.

George was dedicated to his customers and remained active in his business into his early 90s. Even after turning the reins of the company over to his son, Richard, he was still frequently seen in the office.

George was a member of the Theosophical Society. As a donor, he helped fund the Oregon Cambodian Buddhist Society in Stafford. He enjoyed bowling, walking and golfing at Eastmoreland Golf Course. His most cherished travel memory was a trip to Easter Island in 2013.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Kathleen Anderson, in 2008. He is survived by sons Richard and Larry, as well as seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

The details of his memorial service will be announced at a later date. The service will be held at Holman Funeral Home, 2610 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., Portland. For more information, log on to www.holmansfuneralservice.com.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Nursery News Tagged With: Anderson Pots, OAN, OAN Members, obituary

About Curt Kipp

Curt Kipp is the director of publications and communications at the Oregon Association of Nurseries, and the editor of Digger magazine.

The Value of Membership

Meet the Leader: Rod Park

President’s Awards Banquet recognizes vital contributions

Meet the Leader: Mark Bigej

More member stories

NURSERY NEWS

Bailey hires trade communications specialist

Pursell Agri-Tech hires director of turf and ornamentals

Fall Creek hires general counsel

Oregon State hires dean of agriculture sciences

In Memoriam: Laszlo Geza Pomazi

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

May 2022 — The Technology Issue

April 2022 — The Tree Issue

March 2022 — The Greenhouse Issue

February 2022 — Retail Outlook issue

January 2022 – Nursery Country

More issues of Digger

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

Virtual is the new reality – for now

Trade shows in the time of COVID

A demand ‘renaissance’ for nurseries

Western Nursery & Landscape Association falls victim to pandemic

MANTS 2021 to move online due to COVID-19

More articles

Nursery Guide LIVE

Nursery Guide LIVE clicks into place

Booth spaces still available for Nursery Guide LIVE March 17–18

Nursery Guide LIVE virtual marketplace postponed due to winter storm damage

Keynote presentations at Nursery Guide LIVE virtual marketplace provide insight on green industry trends in 2021 and beyond

More Posts from this Category

FARWEST SHOW UPDATES

Little Prince repeats as Best in Show booth winner

Two stand out at New Varieties Showcase

Retailers’ Choice Awards embrace discoveries at Farwest

Farwest marks a gathering of new, returning faces

Farwest Show voting attendees choose Kimono™ Hydrangea as People’s Choice winner at New Varieties Showcase

More Updates from Farwest

Connect with us online

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
​

Updates to exisiting subscriptions can be sent to info@oan.org

News

  • Nursery News
  • Growing Knowledge
  • Nursery Operations
  • Meta

Features

  • Plant Features
  • OAN Members
  • Oregon Nursery Country

Columns

  • Director’s Desk
  • Mike Darcy
  • Pivot Points
  • President’s Message

Resources

  • OAN Home Page
  • Job Listings
  • Subscribe to Digger
  • Advertise in Digger
  • Online Plant Search

© Copyright 2020 Oregon Association of Nurseries · Admin

 

Loading Comments...