William Anderson

William C. Anderson, 1935-2020
Patriarch of Pioneering Oakland County Family, Third-Generation Auto Dealer;
Husband, Father, Friend, and Grandfather

William C. Anderson died on December 10, 2020 of COVID-19 after a short battle with kidney disease. He was 85. He was a husband, father, grandfather, veteran of the Air Force, patriarch of one of the pioneering families in Oakland County, friend and mentor to many, and a 3rd-generation automobile dealer.

Growing Up in Rural Lake Orion; the "Dragons" in 1894

Bill Anderson grew up in Lake Orion, then a small resort town in rural Oakland County. He was the youngest child and only boy in the large home of Lee Anderson and Marjory Maloney Anderson in Lake Orion, Michigan. Bill was born in their home on a piece of land jutting out into the lake, which they named “Wit’s End.” Bill’s father had been born in Lake Orion in 1900, in a house on Anderson Avenue—named after his grandfather Clarence Lee Anderson, who had been a deputy sheriff and mayor in the 1800s. The family’s history was so deeply intertwined with the area that it was reputed to have knowledge of the 80-foot sea monsters that reportedly terrorized residents on Lake Orion in 1894—the historical origin of the school’s “dragons” mascot.

Budding Musician

A s a young man, Bill started a musical group, called the “Star Dusters.” He played the trumpet. Decades later, he gave his grandson, Neal Anderson, that same trumpet. “I played Grandpa’s Olds Recording trumpet for the first 10 years of my musical career, helping me discover the sound that became my music al voice,” said Neal Anderson, “Grandpa gifted me what has become one of my greatest joys: creating music.”

Notre Dame, University of Detroit—and Scandalous Frat Parties

Bill attended Marmion Military School in Aurora Illinois, and afterwards entered the ROTC program for the US Air Force. His military school training involved marching, playing in the band, academics, and the occasional prank, including “adjusting” a grenade launcher to send a projectile across the street.
Attending Notre Dame and the University of Detroit, his reputation in social circles grew, and he became the President of the Fraternity Council. Unfortunately, his tenure was marred by the then-scandalous infraction of allowing alcoholic beverages at social functions, which was breathlessly reported in the local newspaper.

Marriage to Marilyn Mencotti

It was at U of D that he met his future wife, Marilyn Mencotti, the daughter of a prominent Italian-American family in Detroit. “She was a very intelligent woman, majoring in math and chemistry, in an era where few women did math or science,” said her daughter Catherine. “Mom told me that Dad had a reputation as a bit of a wild man, but his manners impressed my grandmother.”
They married after they both graduated, in a beautiful setting on Belle Isle. Soon, Bill entered the US Air Force, and they struggled to make ends meet during his time as a junior officer. They had four children, Patrick, Catherine, Christine, and William, and were together for more than 62 years until his death this year.

Cuban Missile Crisis

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Bill was stationed at the Laughlin Air Force base in Del Rio Texas, the home base for the U2 reconnaissance aircraft that flew over Cuba. He recalled warning his young wife that she should be ready—at a moment’s notice--to pack up their kids and dog and drive out of the range of the Cuban missiles.
Bill’s service to the Air Force frequently involved dealing with local officials and civic leaders in Texas and Mexico. The small-town boy soon learned a great deal about diplomacy. Del Rio, “Queen City of the Rio Grande,” named him an Honorary Alcalde (mayor), and gave him an enormous, bejeweled sombrero he kept for decades.

Back to Michigan, and Becoming a Third Generation Auto Dealer

After finishing his service in the Air Force, Bill Anderson followed his father, Lee Anderson, and grandfather, Clarence Lee Anderson, into the automobile business. Over the next three decades, he worked his way up from salesman to sales manager to general manager in dealerships in Detroit, Redford, and Pontiac. He finally purchased his own dealership, Bill Anderson Buick Hummer, in the 1980s, which he ran until his retirement in the late 1990s. During that time, Bill served as the president of the Metro Detroit Buick Dealers Association, an active member of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, and as a mentor to many. His annual summer company parties were uproarious affairs, often featuring a rolling cast of family members, friends, employees, and country-western musicians.
His success brought him chances to take his wife on trips to Alaska, Europe, and through the Panama Canal to South America. "Dad and Mom got to see many of the places he wanted to see in the world, flying on the Concorde and sailing on the Queen Mary," said daughter-in-law Maria Anderson, "He would bring back mementos from these trips and shared his excitement and the memories with all of us."

Courage and Character in the Family

Bill’s success as a businessman was hard earned. His father suffered a stroke in 1963, forcing the young man—just out of the Air Force—to take over multiple businesses, all struggling, even while he started his own career. He pursued his dream to become an auto dealer, overcoming many difficulties in the way. “Bill Anderson was respected by his peers for his integrity and his fervor for life,” said his son Patrick, “Years after his retirement, I met the president of the National Auto Dealers Association, mentioned his name and instantly, he said, ‘I know Bill Anderson!’ and his wife said ‘…and Marilyn too!’

An Extraordinary Hunter, and 75-year Sportsman on Drummond Island

Young William learned to shoot raccoons and squirrels using a .22 caliber rifle as a young boy. He sold pelts for $1 apiece to make money as a teenager, and later became an extraordinary hunter. He joined the Drummond Island Club, which owned land on the remote island in the Saint Mary’s River. His father had helped get the club started in an old log cabin. To this day, the area near there is known as “Anderson’s Field.”
Bill hunted and fished on Drummond Island nearly every year from 1945 to 2020. His first visit coincided with “V-J” day in August 1945, where he heard the news that the United States had dropped an atom bomb on Japan. His last visit was July 2020, with son Patrick, grandson Sean, nephew Lou Basso, and son-in-law Elliot Davis. “It was one of his favorite places on earth to be with family” said Lou Basso.

St Joseph’s Parish and School

Bill and Marilyn have been active members of St. Joseph Catholic Church parish for at least sixty years. His father, Lee Anderson, had originally presented the plan for the parish school to Cardinal Mooney in Detroit in the late 1940s. “Dad recalled that the local leaders pleaded for his father to make their case to the Archbishop—even though Lee had been raised a Protestant,” said Patrick Anderson, “my Dad was a great salesman, and he clearly got that from his father.”
The Andersons proved persuasive, and the school was built. Later, all four of Bill’s children attended school there, and his sisters and daughter, Cathy, were married at St. Joseph’s Church. Bill served at various times on the parish council and in the church choir, and Marilyn was the school librarian when her kids attended the elementary school in the 1970s.

Children and Grandchildren

Bill and Marilyn have four children and eleven grandchildren: Patrick (with wife Madhu and children Neal, Sean, and Mohra); Catherine (with husband Jim Weissenborn and sons Clay and Zach); Christine (with husband Elliot Davis and children Evan, Taylor, and Madalyn); and William (with wife Maria and children Vincent, Anthony, and Mia).
Bill’s son William recalled, “Dad loved to play games with his kids, and he was a great Monopoly strategist. I recall him saying, ‘Is someone going to trade with me, or is it time for bed?’” He also loved to play cards, organizing Gin Rummy tournaments at family gatherings and fishing trips, often sprinkling his play with entertaining verbal gems like “no brainer” and “schneider.” “Grandpa had a full repertoire of sayings for cards,” said Sean Anderson, “this July, I opened a hand with him in Gin Rummy. After the first discard he laid down his cards and said ‘they all play’!”
He tutored his grandchildren in card playing, fishing, and cooking on a grill with great seriousness. "Grandpa was a mentor to the gin rummy novice, a guide to the aspiring largemouth bass fisherman, and an ambassador for proper poker table etiquette," said Evan Davis. Zach Weissenborn added “Grandpa was an excellent teacher of many of life’s essential skills, including parallel parking with his giant truck, and how to make his vodka-tonic, which he taught me at the tender age of 13.”
“The most valuable lesson I learned from my grandpa is that life’s greatest experiences are often the simplest,” said Clay Weissenborn, “I hope Grandpa’s card buddies in heaven bring nice full wallets with them, ‘cause losers can’t leave the table till they pay!’”
“Grandpa was a man of his word,” said Mohra Anderson, “I learned that when I was 3 years old, and kept flicking oatmeal at him from my high chair. He told me that if I didn’t stop, he’d dump the oatmeal on my head. Sure enough, I kept flicking, and he put the whole bowl on my head.”
Madalyn Davis recalled “One of my fondest memories of Grandpa was when we visited the cabin at Drummond Island last summer and had a big family dinner. I’ll never forget looking over and seeing him tear up in joy at everyone being there.”

The family plans a memorial service at a later date. For those so inclined, the family suggests memorial contributions to St. Joseph Catholic School Tuition Assistance Fund in Lake Orion, MI.

Remembrance by Patrick Anderson with assistance from William J. Anderson, Cathy Weissenborn, Clay Weissenborn, Zach Weissenborn, Madalyn Davis, Evan Davis, Maria Anderson, Mohra Anderson, Sean Anderson, Neal Anderson, and Lou Basso.