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 June 4, 1925 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.
