At age 89, Gareth Scott Anderson, of Harpswell, passed peacefully on Feb. 9. He was a lifelong resident of Harpswell. He graduated from Brunswick High School and enlisted in the Coast Guard. He served aboard the cutter Barataria from 1953 until 1957 as a fire control technician, receiving the National Defense Service medal.
In 1956, he married his sweetheart, Anne Allen, and moved to Cundy’s Harbor, where they raised their two children, Lynn and Robert.
He was an active member of the Harpswell community, serving as fire chief and president of the Cundy’s Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and working to get the Cundy’s Harbor Library its present home. He was a member of the Grange, Masons, Shriners and American Legion.
After working as a lobsterman and owning a sea moss business, he joined the State of Maine Department of Fish and Game as the search and rescue safety officer. Being an avid outdoorsman, he found his calling. As well as conducting over 4,280 search and rescue missions, he authored You Alone in the Maine Woods, a survival guide still used by the state of Maine. A lifelong member of the National Rifle Association, he was a safety instructor, teaching gun and hunter safety courses throughout the state.
After retirement, he wrote a series of children’s books, wrote numerous articles for five publications, and used his artistic craft to create his famous walking sticks and dustpans.
A legend, Gary will be sadly missed but always remembered for his storytelling and sense of humor.
He is survived by a daughter, Lynn, and a son, Robert, as well as his grandchildren, Derek, Kristen, Sara-Jane, and Nell, and his seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service to celebrate his life will occur on July 6 at 1 p.m. at the Elijah Kellogg Church in Harpswell. Instead of flowers, please donate to your favorite nonprofit organization that serves Maine veterans.
