Obituary

Addis John Anderson
April 1, 1944 to November 22, 2019

Addis John Anderson, also called AJ and John, was born in New Jersey at a military hospital to Addis B and Carol M Anderson.  He was the second child and would eventually be one of seven children.  John was a member of a large family in a very small town called Mapleton, Minnesota and he enjoyed the company of his many cousins, aunts, and uncles while growing up in this rural area.  He was a proficient hunter of game birds and had many stories of his youthful escapades, especially with his older brother Wayne.  He continued to be a prankster and lover of jokes throughout his life.

Upon graduation from high school in 1962, John enlisted in the US Navy.  He was thrilled with his assignment to Port Hueneme, until he discovered it was not in exotic Hawaii, but in Oxnard, CA.  John later served tours in Vietnam from 1964-66 as a medic attached to the US Marines.  John returned to his new home in Ca and was a dental school student at Loma Linda University, but in the end became a dental technician and owner of small dental laboratories.  He loved to go fast, and his weekends consisted of competing in motorcycle racing in the late 1960s into the 1970s.  He also loved fast boats and would have moved to Blythe, Ca for boating on the Colorado River if he could have.

John moved to San Clemente CA and worked for Eades Dental Laboratory before opening Anderson Dental Laboratory out of his home in 1980.  John had a special gift for fixing the unfixable and putting clients directed to the lab at ease. He did pro bono work for joint projects with dentists for special traumatic cases and for the Mission San Juan Capistrano for getting former felons ready for employment.  At about this time he became acquainted with Lauren, who would become his wife in 1983.  Together they raised 3 sons, who grew up on motorcycles and also went very fast.  This entailed many visits to the ER and stories to pacify mom.  John loved family more than anything, and nothing made him happier to be in his motorhome at the river or in the desert with friends and family.  There were also adventures with the motorhome in Mexico that became legendary to family stories with tales of bandidos, flying down the beach in jeeps and ATVs, and wild donkeys invading camp.

John was so proud of his sons.  His eldest son Noah was a prolific reptile catcher when he wasn’t going fast.  Noah and his wife Sara provided John with the title of Grandpa with the births of Hannah and Luke, who are the newest reptile catchers of the family.  Oren still goes fast, and John loved keeping up with Oren’s off road races on the computer or in person.  He also loved Oren’s partner Kerri and all she added to his son’s life and the family.  Youngest son Drew worked in John’s dental lab and continues to do so.  He goes fast on bicycles and John enjoyed going to his downhill races.  John also remained close to his youngest brother Brian and his family.  Even with twelve years between them they enjoyed a tight bond with their love for boating and motor cycle weekends and the love of family.

John fell and broke his femur on October 28, 2019, while performing a “honey do” favor for his wife.  He had many complications related to the resulting surgery, and unexpectedly succumbed on November 22, 2019.  His loss is shattering to the family, and he will be missed by friends, family, neighbors, and the dental offices he provided services to.  John lived his whole life taking care of all of us and leaves a great void as our larger than life husband, father, brother, and friend.