George Holland Anderson Jr.

George H. “Bo” Anderson Jr. Bo was born on July 21, 1927, to George H. and Nita Hunter Anderson in Greenville, South Carolina. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and attended Clemson College and the University of South Carolina. Thereafter, he joined Security Life and Trust Insurance Company and traveled southern states for eight years. He married Martha Jean Barger on February 11, 1956, and transferred to Florida where they began their life together. In 1960, he began his career in the savings and loan industry as the Administrative Assistant to the President of First Federal Savings and Loan in Lakeland, Florida. His position was unique in that he was the first male employee of the organization. Over his 30-year career he had many titles. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 1972 and retired as interim President in 1990. He was universally known to his employees as “Mr. A” which he loved. He was a charter member of the Presbyterian Chapel in the Grove church and a longtime member of College Heights United Methodist church. He was always very active in the community serving as President of the Kiwanis club, President of the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra, and President of the Lakeland Family YMCA. He was Treasurer of the Downtown Development Authority. He served on many other boards including the City of Lakeland Advertising and Public Relations Board, the Lakeland Little Theatre, The Polk County Builders Association and the Speech and Hearing Clinic. You could almost always find Bo at Cleveland Heights Golf Club on Saturday mornings. His favorite hobby was growing roses and at one time had over 70 rose bushes in his yard. It gave him great joy to share his flowers with his wife and friends. He and his wife Jean loved to travel and were blessed to make many trips both domestically and abroad. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Barger Anderson. He is survived by his son George H. “Dutch” Anderson III and his wife Janette, daughter Lydia Daniels; granddaughter Jacquelyne “Jackie” Jean Parrish and her husband Jeff Parrish, grandson George Spencer Anderson, granddaughter Ashley Marie Kurtzman and her husband Shawn Kurtzman, granddaughter Alex Reynolds; great-granddaughter Raelynn Noelle Parrish, great-grandson Jayce George Parrish, and great-granddaughter Victoria Reynolds. Services will be held at College Heights United Methodist Church, 942 South Blvd., Lakeland, Florida 33803 at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 21, 2019. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the College Heights United Methodist Church in memory of Bo. Bo never met a stranger and brought love to all he met. His life was exemplified by Romans 12:12-16: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” He will be greatly missed by many, many people.