William “Bill” Brownell Anderson, 90, of Barrington, RI and Palm City, FL, died peacefully at home in the presence of loved ones. Born in New Bedford, MA, to Marion Hazard Lamb and William Gustave Frederick Anderson, he was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Charlotte “Lolly” Horgan (2017); his younger brother, Roy Anderson (2018); his nephew David Gilmore (2018); his older sister, Alma Gilmore (2019); and by his first grandchild, Hans William Heitkoenig (2022).

He is survived by daughters Charlotte Anderson Kollar (David), Christine Lamb Anderson, and Kimberly Anderson Couchon (Mark), his grandchildren Charlotte Santmier, Carl Heitkoenig, Alexandra Kollar, and Riggs Kollar, his sister-in-law, Carol McComb Anderson (Roy), six nieces and six nephews.

Formerly of Newport, Bill and Lolly made Barrington their home in 1954, where they raised their children and made many life-long friends. Rhode Island Country Club quickly became the family’s home away from home, at the pool, on the courts and on the course. Appointed to the RICC Board and eventually elected Board President, Bill had been the oldest living past-president in club history.

Bill’s early ambitions included starting his own business, which he did after employment tenures at Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing, U.S. Rubber and J. Royal Company. In 1962, he invested as part owner in Microfin Corporation, an aerospace metal finishing company. He expanded his operation with a start-up he named Beaver Products, a polyurethane molding company with a single molding machine and one employee. Over the following decades, Bill collaborated with some of his closest friends to develop and grow what became Matrix, Incorporated, a precision injection plastics molding company in East Providence. In later years, expanded operations included locations in Attleboro, MA and Clearwater, FL, as well as the acquisition of a 65,000 sq. ft. building on Catamore Blvd. in East Providence, Matrix’s final home.

While his company grew, so too did Bill’s focus on the important role of small business in fostering a strong economy. He referred to small business as “the backbone of our economy.” His passionate advocacy of policies, legislation and educational programs encouraging the growth of small business eventually led to numerous leadership roles including the President of SBANE (Smaller Business Association of New England), founding trustee of the Small Business Foundation of America, Co-Chair of the Coalition of Small Independent Business Associations, Co-Chair of Rhode Island Bizpac, Chairman of the New England Delegation to the White House Conference on Small Business (1980), Rhode Island Small Business Person of the Year conferred by the SBA, Washington, DC (1984), Director of the National Federation of Independent Business (1985), and member of the Rhode Island Governor’s Small Business forum. He enjoyed bending the ears of Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Bob and Elizabeth Dole, George H. W. and Barbara Bush, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and many other state and local “political types”, all of whom acknowledged his fervent dedication to the goal of broadening economic opportunity through small business. A proclamation from the U.S. Senate described him as “an optimistic pioneer with a small business entrepreneurial spirit”. Bill continued his business career well into his 70’s, although he had long before passed the baton to a talented new generation of managing entrepreneurs.

While business was always on Bill’s mind, his heart was on the water. He was a 12th generation New Englander and a Rhode Island Commodore. He loved fishing, sailing, cruising Narragansett Bay, Atlantic Coast and the intercostal waterway. His house in Harbour Ridge, Florida was lakeside and his Barrington house, on Smith’s Cove. Iceland and Alaska were favorite fishing locales. Wherever he was, fishing gear was almost always at the ready. And although Bill was a golfer, tennis was his true love. His Rhode Island tennis group began playing together almost seven decades ago and only stopped when being on the court became more of a dare than a delight.

Bill traveled extensively with wife Lolly, friends, and family throughout the years. His final bucket list wish was to make a trans-Atlantic crossing by sea, which he accomplished last December in the company of one of his best buds.

No compendium of Bill’s life would be complete without a mention of the following: cigars, oysters, shooting, martinis, good books, sardines, skiing, manhattans, olive bread, dancing and the Sunday New York Times. When recently asked what he considered to be his greatest joy, he simply replied, “My people.” His people would certainly include generations of Matrix employees and colleagues, his many dear friends, and most recently the three wonderful caregivers who kept him comfortable and smiling during his finals days. His family is most grateful.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Church, 191 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806 or The Salvation Army of Rhode Island, 386 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907-2240.

A service of Christian remembrance is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 16, 2024, at St. John’s Church in Barrington.