Born in Seattle on June 14, 1910, John Emil Anderson graduated with a degree in architecture from the University of Washington in 1933. Upon graduation he moved to Spokane and worked for architect G.A. Pehrson, designing buildings in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and California from 1935 to 1941. Projects attributed to Anderson during this period include the General Hospital in Grangeville, the Florence Hotel in Missoula, and the Davenport Garage in Spokane.

After returning to Seattle, he worked with the Army Corps of Engineers and at Ralph Decker’s office until joining the firm of Young, Richardson, Carleton & Detlie. While there he was responsible for the Gethsemane Lutheran Church, as well as the addition and modernization to Elim Lutheran Church in Port Orchard (1953) and the Lake Forest Park Town Hall (1963).

In 1964 Anderson left the firm and took a job as an architect for the General Service Administration in its Auburn office. Later, he then joined the architecture and engineering office of John Graham & Co. as an associate in 1968. However he left the firm after three years and in 1971 Anderson and another John Graham associate, James Paul, joined forces to form the architectural office of Paul & Anderson. One year later, the office was merged with another firm and became Balzisher, Longwood, Smith, Paul & Anderson with offices in Seattle, Eugene and Medford, Oregon. The firm’s design work includes the Overlake Golf and Country Club (1971-1972); the Animal Care Facility (1974) and the Dixon Recreation Center (1978) at Oregon State University.

Anderson died in Issaquah on October 5, 1998.

– Michael C Houser