Berlin – Wilma M. Anderson, 75, of Main Street, Berlin, NY, passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, VT, after being stricken at home. Born in Poestenkill, NY, on February 23, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Raymond H. and Pearl E. Horton Miller and the beloved wife of the late John P. Anderson, who passed away in 2007. A lifelong area resident, Wilma was educated in Poestenkill and relocated to Berlin many years ago to raise her family with her husband John. She was a devoted homemaker, wife and mother, raised a family, enjoyed a career and was currently employed in the Sales Dept. of W. J. Cowee where she worked for over thirty years.
Wilma was a proud resident of Berlin and was totally committed to helping everyone she came in contact with. She was an active member for many years of the Berlin Fire Dept. and the Berlin Rescue Squad and was currently serving as Squad Captain. She was a NYS Certified EMT and served in many capacities in the Dept. Wilma was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Board of Fire Commissioners and a member of the Board of Directors and was active in all aspects of the emergency services. For her service to her community, Wilma was awarded many accolades including EMS Person of the year 2004 and Employee of the Year 2000 of W.J. Cowee. In 2002 she received special recognition from then Gov. George Pataki as a Woman Sustaining the American Spirit. She received many more awards and accolades too numerous to mention. She was known to open her home to residents and friends to provide comfort and relief when they were injured. Her children say that her greatest achievement in life was that of a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include her devoted children, Rusty and wife Denise Anderson of Troy, NY, Sheila Anderson and Tom McHugh of MA, Billy Anderson of Cherry Plain, NY, Susan and husband Glenn LaPier of Averill Park, NY, Nancy and husband Joe Sweener of Berlin, Karen and husband Ron Whitman of North Petersburgh, NY, Patty and husband Joel Burdick of MA and Michael Anderson and his daughter Tianna of Berlin, twenty grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and a host of many friends in the community and the emergency services in Rensselaer County and beyond.
A funeral service with full departmental honors will be held at the Thomas M. Barber Funeral Home, 66 Armsby Road, Petersburgh, NY, on Saturday, March 28, at 3 pm followed by interment in the Berlin Community Cemetery, Route 22, Berlin. Friends, relatives and members of the Rensselaer County Emergency Services family are invited and may call at the funeral home on Friday from 4 to 7 pm. As a special tribute to Wilma, contributions in her memory to the Berlin Rescue Squad and Berlin Fire Dept. would be appreciated by the family.