Obituary of William Maurice Anderson

William Maurice Anderson, beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, at the Unity Medical Center in Manchester, TN. In his last days, Maurice was still living at home and had celebrated both his 96th birthday and his 74th wedding anniversary with his devoted wife, Zalah, who was by his side when he passed suddenly. He had just celebrated Christmas with his family a few days earlier and was in good spirits. Maurice was born and raised in the Noah community of Coffee County and graduated from Manchester Central High. He served in the US Navy for 2 years on the USS Cumberland Sound in the Pacific theater during WWII. After the war, Maurice participated in the decommissioning of Camp Forrest. Following that, he was contracted to repair and maintain aging smokestacks in the Northeast US. After his travels, he returned to Manchester, where he owned and operated service stations at two locations for several years. In 1968 he began a career at the Manchester Water Department, retiring as office manager in 1988. Maurice was a longstanding member of the First Baptist Church in Manchester where he enjoyed worship, gospel music, and his close-knit Sunday school class. Maurice was devoted to his family and was known as the definitive fix-it man for the immediate and extended family. Maurice was a very active person who did not like sitting in one place for very long. He loved tinkering in his workshop, caring for his lawn, and growing vegetables­, taking special pride in his summer tomatoes—while always sharing his abundant harvest with others. Maurice is survived by his wife, Zalah Anderson, Coffee County native; daughter, Sherry Anderson Simons of Coffee County; grandson, Ryan Matthew Mason of Nashville, and granddaughter Logan Maurisa Henderson (Brandon) of Manchester; and, great-grandson, Timothy Lee Henderson. Maurice was preceded in death by his mother, Earline Thomas; father, Lonnie Harrell Anderson; his sister, Margaret Ann Bass; and son, Larry Maurice Anderson. Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, January 2, 2022, from 4:00pm until 7:00pm at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, TN. Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, January 3, 2022 at 2:00pm in the chapel of Central Funeral Home with Dr. Brenton Cox officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma, TN.