Elisabeth Anderson

Elisabeth B. Anderson, PhD former long time resident of Sewickley, Pennsylvania passed away June 15, 2012 at the age of 93, at Sunrise Assisted Living of Gahanna, Columbus Ohio. Elisabeth is survived by her daughter Vickie (Robert) Billings of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, sister, Mary McMillan of Oroville, Ca, grandsons Jason and Justin Smith, and great grandson, Cameron Smith. She is predeceased by husband James K Anderson, parents George and Esther Benko, sisters Gertrude Prince and Eleanor Lockwood. Elisabeth was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania on July 31, 1918 although she successfully convinced the Pennsylvania BMV that she was born in 1921. Truth be told, she could have taken 20 years off her age. She tragically lost her mother in a fire at age five. Although her father remained in her life until his death in 1939, he found it impossible to take care of four little girls so Elisabeth and two of her sisters were raised in an orphanage. Her youngest sister was adopted and they found each other many years later. She graduated from Aliquippa High School valedictorian of her class, went to work for the Navy Department and helped put two sisters through nursing school.

In 1960 Elisabeth decided herself to fulfill a lifelong dream to go to college. She attended Mount Mercy, now Carlow College with a double major in English and Medical Records and graduated in three years. She was offered several scholarships and decided to attend Duquesne University receiving her PhD in English Literature. After graduation she started her second career supervising the Medical Records Department at Eye and Ear Hospital. Because of her success, she was given other responsibilities in the admitting office and various clinics in the Presbyterian-Eye and Ear-Children's Hospital complex. Her achievements at these jobs coupled with her successfully teaching English in the University of Pittsburgh night school led to an opportunity to create and chair the Health Records Administration Program at Pitt. During her working years, she served as the president of the Pennsylvania Medical Records Association and taught two summers at the University of Kuwait. She also had an opportunity to go to the Soviet Union as a goodwill ambassador in the 1970's. She retired from the University of Pittsburgh as an Associate Professor.

After a fall, she reluctantly moved to Columbus to be near her daughter, but Pittsburgh has always been her true home. She leaves behind a legacy of life-long learning and a strong belief that each of us has the ability to fulfill our dreams.

Services were entrusted to Newcomer Funeral Home in Columbus, Ohio.