Robert Morton Anderson

January 29, 1939 - March 7, 2020

Memorial services for Bob Anderson, of Miami, Oklahoma are postponed until the COVID-19 crisis is no more. We will reach out via social media, text, and phones. We do not want to risk gathering our family and friends we love so dearly. Bob would agree. Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and God bless us all! Bob was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 29, 1939 to Robert and Charlene Anderson. He was raised in Okmulgee, OK and then Broken Arrow, OK where he graduated from Broken Arrow High School in 1957. He attended Oklahoma State University where he received his Master’s Degree in Higher Educational Sciences. Bob was an avid pilot, he love flying! He was an enthusiast for building planes, large and small. He and his buddies, also referred to as “the big boys” were in an RC Chapter of Miami, OK, flying their RC planes once a week or more. He designed, invented, and patented a small RC craft for beginners called the GYMALLO, which was funded by his company called BLAC INC. BLAC stood for Bob’s Little Airplane Company. He built a hang-glider and did his best to fly it but after a few unsuccessful attempts, he decided a motor might be a better idea. He then built an ultralight and was extremely happy with successfully flying the little motorized aircraft lazily around and around. While he was enjoying his hang-glider, he began building a larger plane. It was a labor of love made completely out of wood; except where the motor and propeller were fastened. He covered the wings, tail, and rudder with a thick polyurethane that was see-through. This was done not only to showcase his exceptional woodworking craftsmanship but also to allow the sun and sky to shine through the wings. Aside from his love for flying, building models, flying RCs and his knowledge of most “war birds” as he called it, he wore many other hats. He was a professor at North Eastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College in Miami, OK for 35 years. He loved fishing, camping, picnicking, and taking his family to the drive-in movies. He was married to his wife Carolyn LaVaughn Anderson for 59 wonderful years. They were a joy to be around, always joking with each other, taking Sunday drives after church, which he called “driving around aimlessly”. Another fun fact about Mr. and Mrs. Anderson is they were born on the same day, same year. Carolyn was 3 hours older than Bob and he always claimed he respected his elders. Bob is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carolyn of Miami, OK; his daughter Laura Lee Jones of Muskogee, OK; granddaughter Lydia Lee Neal, two great-grandsons Taven Lee Neal and Theo Morton Ollie Neal, of Tahlequah, OK; sister Charlene Hickman of Collinsville and brother Bill Anderson of Fredericksburg, VA; and, two sons-in-law who he thought of more like sons, Jerry Owens of Miami, OK and Jerry Neal of Tahlequah; as well as many extended family members, friends and loved ones.