Jerry Bruce Anderson

Jerry Bruce Witten Anderson, 81, of Spring Hope, NC, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease and, more recently, metastatic cancer. Though his body grew weary, his quiet strength, unwavering integrity, and deep love for his family never faded.

Jerry was born on July 8, 1945, in Riverside, California, to Walter Lee Witten and Edith Wayne Anderson Witten. His childhood was marked by profound loss. After the untimely deaths of his parents, Jerry and his siblings were separated and raised by different families. Jerry was lovingly adopted by his uncle and aunt, Edward H. and Lela Mason Anderson, who welcomed him into their home and hearts. His “cousin” siblings included Gary, Duane, Janice, Carol, and Jean. Though his early years were shaped by hardship and early deaths of several siblings, these events also instilled in him the resilience, compassion, and determination that would define the rest of his life.

His adoptive father, Ed, a successful farmer and rancher, taught Jerry far more than farming. He taught him that hard work was honorable, that a person’s word mattered, and that the measure of a man was found in how he treated others. Jerry treasured the years spent working beside Ed and later making lifelong memories with his siblings, nieces, and nephews on the T-Bone Ranch near Wilcox, Arizona.

Jerry graduated from Wilcox High School in 1963. He married Durena Kriley in 1965, and together they welcomed two sons, Tyrone in 1966 and Kyle in 1967. Though their marriage later ended, Jerry remained proud of his sons and the men they became.

In 1974, Jerry married the love of his life, Susan Mason Anderson. Together they created a partnership built on unwavering devotion, shared purpose, and a willingness to tackle life’s greatest challenges side by side. Jerry lovingly adopted Susan’s daughter, Lauren, at age three, raising her as his own without hesitation. In 1975, they welcomed their son, Scott, completing their blended family with Tyrone and Kyle that would become the center of Jerry’s world.

While living in Globe, Arizona, Jerry worked as a Coca-Cola delivery driver, then El Paso Natural Gas Company before joining the local Miami-Globe copper rod plant. But in 1976, he and Susan embarked on the adventure that would define much of their lives by moving to Cohocton, New York.

For more than four decades, they poured their hearts into Shady Brook Farm. Together they built and operated a thriving 20,000-layer poultry farm, a 100-head beef cattle operation, more than 200 acres of crops, and Anderson Quarter Horses, where they bred, boarded, and showed horses throughout New York’s Finger Lakes region. Farming was never simply Jerry’s occupation—it was his calling. Long days, hard work, and caring for the land and animals suited the quiet cowboy spirit that never left him.

Never one to stop learning, Jerry returned to trade school while operating the farm and earned his electrician’s license, water treatment certification, as well as earning his herbicide applicator certification. He worked for Morrison Knudsen and Alstom in Hornell before becoming the longtime foreman at Crowley Foods in Arkport, where he proudly served as a member of the Teamsters Union and continued operating the farm.

To those who knew him, Jerry was the neighbor everyone hoped to have. If a driveway needed plowing after a snowstorm, he was already on his tractor before anyone asked. If a piece of equipment broke during harvest, Jerry would show up with tools in hand. He hired neighborhood kids, mentored young people through honest work, helped fellow farmers bring in crops, and quietly stepped in wherever he saw a need. Acts of kindness were never something he talked about—they were simply how he lived.

Family always came first.

In 1996, after the heartbreaking loss of Susan’s brother, David Mason, Jerry and Susan opened their home and their hearts to their niece, Caitlin. She lived with them through high school, cheering her on as she pursued her dream of becoming a pharmacist. It was simply what Jerry believed family did: you showed up, you made room, and you loved without conditions. He remains proud of the woman Caitlin has become.

After retiring, Jerry and Susan sold the New York farm in 2016 and moved to Spring Hope, North Carolina, to care for Susan’s mother, Elizabeth Hall O’Dell. Even in retirement, service remained at the center of Jerry’s life.

For 52 years of marriage, Jerry and Susan built far more than a home—they built a legacy of faithfulness, perseverance, generosity, and unconditional love. Together they weathered successes and setbacks, celebrated joys, endured hardships, cared for countless animals, and taught their children and grandchildren that character is revealed not by what you say, but by what you do.

Jerry believed a handshake was as binding as a contract. His word was his bond. He never sought recognition, only the satisfaction of doing what was right. He leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured in acres farmed, cattle raised, or buildings repaired, but in the countless lives made better because he was part of them. It was these values that he instilled in his son, Scott, for whom Jerry is so proud to watch become a wonderful man.

Jerry was also known for his sense of humor and dancing ability. He made great memories at the annual Crowley Foods Christmas parties where he danced the night away with either his wife, Susan, or daughter, Lauren, and at weddings and gatherings of friends that centered around laughter. He is forever grateful for the friendship of the Burns family, the Grahams, Dana Myers, the Hendees, the Bennetts, the Hovers, the Soukups, the Smiths, the Kulls, as well as special family friends Rachel Yanda, Jeff and Kris Rakers, Richard “Dr. Doc” and Nan “Mrs. Doc” Enslow, and most especially Dr. Theodore J. “Doc” Beyer and family.

Jerry was preceded in death by his birth parents, Walter Lee and Edith Wayne Anderson Witten; his adoptive parents, Edward H. and Lela Mason Anderson; siblings Wanda May Witten, Samuel K. Witten, Walter E. Witten, JoAnn Witten Alexander, Barbara Jean Witten Fiske, Robert “Bobby” Lee Anderson, Gary Anderson, Duane Anderson, Janice Anderson, and Jean Anderson Howard; brothers-in-law Johnny Weaver, Herb Howard, J.D. Alexander, and David Mason; fathers-in-law Fred Roy Mason and Scott O’Dell; and extended family member and father figure, Peet Hei, who shared Jerry’s love of family and depth of character.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 52 years, Susan Anderson; his children and their spouses for whom he holds great pride, Tyrone Anderson (Janet), Kyle Anderson (Sally), Lauren Anderson Gerber (Chad), and Scott Anderson (Jennifer); siblings Eddie Witten, Beverly Witten Offenberger, and Carol Anderson Weaver Burrell; his beloved mother-in-law Elizabeth Hall O’Dell; and many nieces and nephews, including Caitlin Mason Seaver (Chris). He is also survived by extended family members, Dolly Hei and Jan Hei, and their family; and in-laws Bill and Connie Gerber and the Gerber-Ferrigno families, all of whom he truly loved.

Nothing brought Jerry greater joy than his grandchildren: Kalie Anderson, Zach Anderson (Alex), Shaun Patrick Behunan, Molly Anderson, Bronté Gerber, Spencer Anderson, and River Seaver. He was also blessed to welcome a great-grandson, Noah Witten Anderson, whose arrival brought him immense joy during the final days of his life.

A life is often measured by accomplishments; but Jerry’s is better measured by the people who loved him, the hands he lifted, the lessons he quietly taught, and the example he leaves behind. His family will forever remember a man of unwavering integrity, humble strength, and steadfast love—a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, neighbor, and friend whose greatest legacy came in the lives he nurtured.  Jerry was truly the wind beneath our wings.

In keeping with Jerry’s wishes, no public services will be held. At a later date, his ashes will be scattered in Wilcox, Arizona—the place that always felt like home and forever held a piece of his heart.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to Transitions Life Care in Raleigh, NC, for whom the Anderson family is so very grateful in the caregiving of Jerry in his final days and the warmth and expertise offered. (www.transitionslifecare.org/donate)

Arrangements entrusted to Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1130 N. Winstead Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC 27804.  You may share memories and condolences with the family by visiting www.wheelerwoodlief.com.