John David Anderson Jr., 53, Dies After A Long Battle With ALS

John David Anderson Jr. died Thursday, Jan. 19 at age 53 after a long illness. A celebration of life in his honor was held Thursday, Jan. 26 at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Wellington.

Anderson was born in New Orleans on May 18, 1963. He attended a small Catholic school with a graduating class of only 13. After graduation, he worked for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office until enlisting in the United States Marine Corps to serve his country. He left the Marine Corps as a corporal in 1987 to begin a new life of service with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Over the past 26 years at the PBSO, Anderson worked the streets as a road deputy, held the position of K9 officer and was later recruited to join the SWAT Team and the Tactical Team. Anderson earned the position of corporal as a field training officer assigned to the training division where he was entrusted to keep the nearly 2,000 deputies current in all aspects of law enforcement and to give them the tools to stay safe as they served the public in potentially dangerous situations daily.

In 1999, he returned to the service of the United States Marine Corps as a reservist with the 4th Anglico in West Palm Beach. He was promoted to sergeant just prior to leaving the Marine Corps to begin a family.

Anderson’s loving wife Linda also works for at PBSO, where they met.

They were married on March 25, 2002. They have one child, Miranda, who was born in July 2005. Miranda is a very active and enthusiastic 11-year-old who participates in many organized sports activities. Like her father, she is a professional sports fan who loves the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Braves.

Anderson died after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Aside from his wife and daughter, he is survived by his sister, Joy Anderson of New Orleans, and nieces Catie and Cassidy.

ABOVE: John David Anderson Jr.