Joseph Milton Anderson, 101, of Lake Charles, La., passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. 

Mr. Anderson was born in El Campo, Texas, on Oct. 3, 1920, and spent most of his younger years in Houston, Texas.  There he graduated from Rice University with a double major in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics in 1943, completing a four-year program in only three years due to the necessities of World War II.  Designated as a ‘strategic national asset’ by President Roosevelt, Mr. Anderson was assigned to war time development efforts and was part of an elite three-man scientific team that created Naval heavy gun flashless powder.  In his post-war years, Mr. Anderson continued with work in the field of chemical engineering.  He worked at Columbia Chemical in Corpus Christi, Texas, and later at PPG as one of its first three employees.  He engineered and oversaw its conversion from a war time magnesium plant to a civilian chemical plant.  During his tenure at PPG, ‘Joe’ Anderson served as a technical engineer and technical director in Lake Charles, and facilitated its rapid growth in the 1960’s.  He acted as the Corporate VP of Licensing for PPG in Pittsburg, overseeing all licensing of processing and patents for PPG world-wide.  Concurrent with and following his years at PPG, Mr. Anderson consulted with numerous companies, countries, government agencies and national laboratories.  Mr. Anderson retired from PPG in 1985 and returned to Lake Charles, where he enjoyed travel and finding a talent and passion for woodworking.  He spent countless hours crafting beautiful furniture and carved pieces, primarily using hand tools. 

He leaves behind his cherished wife of 73 years, Lydia Mae Hodges Anderson; two children, Sondra “Sunny” Bendfeldt and husband Juan of Houston, Texas, and J. Russell Anderson and wife Paula of Woodlawn, La.; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, Percy Iola and Horace Milton Anderson.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022 at Apostolic Temple, 2711 W. Prien Lake Rd, Lake Charles, LA 70605. Interment will follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Ragley, La., under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.johnsonfuneralhome.net