July 27, 1951 – Jan. 27, 2018

 

LIBERTY — Memorial services for David Douglas Anderson, 66, who died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Anderson Family Cemetery on Longleaf Farms in Liberty.

Arrangements are under the direction of Brown Funeral Home in Gloster.

David considered himself a gentleman farmer. He said not to do this at all, but nobody ever said that life is fair. He had an extreme distaste for clutter, wild pigs, boarding schools and mumbling. In turn, he loved starting new projects, trains, raising ducks, the Bulldogs, black label Jim Bean, winding his grandfather clock, fire pits, Starkvegas, hardwood bottoms, the resonance of a gobble at sunrise, Tank, blue cheese olives and exploring Africa — three times. Most days he could be found on the tractor. He was an excellent friend, and, in turn, attracted incredible well-beloved friends, and found delight in gathering them together.

After his father, Fred, died, when David was 12, he was reared by his mother, Polly, with a great deal of help from Mandy Roberts, Edna Bates, Rosie Dixon, and Bee and Newt Terrell in Gloster. He was the youngest of four children, with three siblings, Miss Polly, Mary Petty and Fred. After finishing Mississippi State, “Hail State,” he came home and worked on Longleaf Farms with cattle, farming operations and timber. He built Homestead and his first marriage produced his much-beloved daughter, Cassie.

His expertise was in land management and conservation, where he instantly fell in love with the dirt. He watched over the wildlife and created abundant habitat, making it his business to leave things better than he found them, bringing order from chaos and beauty from the ordinary.

He had a fancy for smart, beautiful women, and while raising Cassie, he found Page McClendon, whom he adored, on a blind date. After pursuing her for four years, they married in 2001, and began an adventure together.

He completely enjoyed his life — from father, to farmer, to woodworker, to traveler, to husband, to hunter of wild things. He ever sought knowledge, found wonder in the night sky and was lucky to have always loved what he was doing when he was doing it, telling good stories, surrounded by a handful of dogs.

David lived his life with the heart of a lion and didn’t pull the trigger when he had the chance to shoot one. He was generous beyond measure and walked with an abiding faith.

Among the untold number who love him, standouts are the loyal and loving folks, particularly Bobbie Sue, who works at Homestead and on the place and a slew of nieces and nephews who were close to his heart.

Instead of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Polly Anderson Memorial Scholarship at Mississippi State University or to Mediator Episcopal Church in McComb.