ELLSWORTH

Peter Maurice Andersen died July 17, 2009, at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, Ellsworth, less than a month after his 75th birthday. He had lost a short but fierce battle with lung cancer. Peter was born June 21, 1934, in Omaha, Neb., the oldest child of Dr. Maine and Marjory Pancoast Andersen.

Following his graduation from Central High in Omaha, Peter graduated from the University of Nebraska with a baccalaureate degree in philosophy and history and a doctoral degree in law. He was admitted to the Nebraska, Federal and New York bar associations. Peter’s professional career as a corporate trial lawyer included work for the Federal Communications Commission, Northern Natural Gas, Communications Satellite Company, Western Union, Metro Media and World Com ITT. As chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s AT&T task force, Peter’s leadership led to the break-up of the Bell Telephone monopoly. Peter was an activist and considered his life a gift each day. Among his many passions were politics, travel, art, operas, symphonies and children's performances, attending family parties, all children — especially grandchildren, nature, hiking and climbing, working in the jail system and with anyone wanting to recover from alcoholism, lunch with special friends, breakfast with his men’s group, all kinds of food, any good argument, bridge and a game of cribbage after supper. He sang in Gilbert and Sullivan performances throughout his life, local barbershop, in his church choir and randomly for any reason. He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth, the Hancock County Democratic Committee and AA.

He is survived by two sons, Erik and his wife, Eva and their children, Liv and Bjorn of Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., and Karl and his wife, Kimberly and their children, Rhys and Ethan of East Brunswick, N.J. He was predeceased by his brother, John; and his son, Matthew. Peter is also survived by his second wife, Evelyn Whitney Foster of Ellsworth and her family, Dottie and Nick Vachon and their children, Gabe, Rosie and Belle of Ellsworth, Bob and Renee Foster and children, Jake, Katie, Isaac and Ben of Hampden and Dan and Robin Foster and children, Emma and Sherry of Orrington.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Aug. 1, 2009, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth. In lieu of flowers, donations could be considered to Hancock County HomeCare and Hospice, P.O. Box 156, Blue Hill, ME 04614, the Memorial Garden Project, UU Church, 121 Bucksport Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605, or to Your Place, North Street, Ellsworth, ME 04605. Online condolences may be placed at www.directcremationofmaine.com.  

Comments (0)