William George Anderson of Oak Bluffs passed away on November 5, 2024, surrounded by family. He was 88 years old.
Bill was born in Grand Haven, Michigan, on December 4, 1935, to Arthur and Elizabeth (Kamhout) Anderson. He had two older siblings, Margaret (Anderson) Gillard and Arthur Anderson. Bill graduated from Grand Haven High School in 1954, where he played basketball, baseball, track and football. His football team won the state championship and he returned to Grand Haven several times over the years for football team reunions.
After high school, Bill joined the Air Force and served in Italy, Türkiye and Libya, installing and maintaining radar stations. Prior to those overseas deployments, he was stationed at Peaked Hill Radar Station in Chilmark on Martha’s Vineyard. Bill had never heard of the island before and in the 1950s Vineyard was nothing like it is now. He was stationed on the north of the island in the winter with several other young men. Often the highlight of the week was when they could go to the South Island to watch a high school basketball game. At one of those games, Bill noticed one of the Oak Bluffs High School cheerleaders. The beautiful Maureen Fisher caught his attention, and in the fall of 1956 they became engaged. Bill and Maureen married on December 29, 1956 and were married for 62 years before she passed away in 2019.
In those early years, they worked hard, sacrificed, and raised four children in Oak Bluffs Harbor. They had many friends and often had fun and socialized. Bill was a volunteer firefighter with the Oak Bluffs Fire Department and coached his son’s minor league baseball team. He worked at Shirley’s Hardware, Our Market and Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard and also had side jobs on the weekends. He installed storm windows, repaired appliances and worked as a janitor, among other things. He always worked to ensure a good life for his family.
In the early 1970s, the North Bluffs neighborhood of Oak Bluffs Harbor changed dramatically. Instead of having a small beach in front of the family home, the bulkhead was extended and the Island Queen began discharging up to 300 people every 90 minutes during the summer months. Bill and Maureen talked about moving, but Bill decided to try renting bikes instead. The rest, as they say, is history.
Starting with just 30 bikes and charging $3 a day, Anderson Bike Rentals was born. Over the years, all of his children and most of his grandchildren worked in the family bike rental business. His example of hard work and pursuit of excellence did not go unnoticed by those who worked for him. Many of his young employees admired him and were inspired by his example.
One of Bill’s greatest joys was bringing the whole family together to share a meal or simply spend time together. It was in those moments that he would look around with pride and say, “All my children are here.” He loved those moments. He and Maureen also enjoyed hosting dinner parties, socializing with other couples, going out to dinner, kayaking, and traveling the country together. Bill was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He was a wonderful example of a family man. As Bill himself said, he had an interesting life.
Bill is survived by his devoted children, Dr. Kristen L. Anderson and her partner, Eric B. Wilds, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., William M. Anderson and his wife, Doreen Anderson, of Oak Bluffs, Katherine Anderson Farrissey of Oak Bluffs and Gretchen Anderson and her partner, Benjamin Hall Jr., of West Tisbury; eight grandchildren, Matt Stamas, David Stamas and his wife, Erica, Andrew W. Farrissey and his wife Maureen, Colleen Hickey and her husband, Patrick, Ian Thompson, William M. Anderson Jr. and his wife Stephanie, and Astoria and Olympia Hall ; five great-grandchildren, Jace and Noah Stamas, Liam and Emily Hickey, and Anderson Farrissey; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maureen; his nephew, William Anderson Farrissey; and his parents and siblings.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Nov. 23 at Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs, officiated by Dr. Rev. Roger Spinney, with military honors provided by Martha’s Vineyard veterans. A reception will follow at the Portuguese-American Club.
Memorial donations may be made to the Hospice of Cape Cod, the Portuguese-American Club or a charity of your choice.
