Malissa Miller Anderson

We are sad to announce our loved one Dr. Malissa Miller Anderson passed peacefully September 12, 2018 at Edgewood Place nursing facility after a nearly two decade illness she faced bravely.

Born January 23, 1939 in the southwestern Virginia town of Abingdon. She was a proud graduate of William King High school in Abingdon and then went to West Hampton of the University of Richmond before going back close to home to graduate from Emory and Henry College. Malissa, bucking the trend for small town ladies of her day, earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee in December of 1966 and even had two children during her studies, Malissa Anderson (Missy) and Marshall Anderson III. She taught Chemistry at both Carson Newman and Guilford colleges before teaching advanced high school Chemistry in Raleigh NC at Ravenscroft, Millbrook and Enloe. She had innumerable students pursue careers in Chemistry and related sciences. Her children followed her into science fields; Missy in Speech Pathology and Marshall into medicine. Her granddaughter Caroline also pursed a science degree and is now in pharmacy school at UNC and her grandson Will earned a mathematics degree from the University of North Carolina.

Malissa was preceded in death by her Mother Harriet Bradley Miller, her father Kenneth Fortune Miller and half-brother Kenneth Alan Miller. She is survived by her sister Martha Witherspoon, daughter Missy and life partner Mike Dalton. Also by her “30 year boyfriend” Charles Douthit as well as her son Dr. Marshall Anderson III and wife Catherine and her beloved grandson Will Anderson and wife Lauren and her granddaughter Caroline Childs and husband Luke.

She spent the last 30 years with her loving partner Charles Douthit and shared his love for sailing. She loved classical music and was an avid reader as well as a walker who was seen often seen walking miles away from home all over Wake County. She enjoyed her friends immensely and was a proud member of the Golden Girls beach group. Always the fervent learner, she taught herself to be an excellent investor and headed up several investment clubs.

She treasured her sister Martha whom she was close to all her life and who stuck by her during the long illness. The family would also like to thank her friends who remembered her during her long illness including Rhonda Smith, Mary Lou Jays and her daughter Jennifer, as well as Ken and Marty Mink, Dan and Scotty Zimmerman and Meredith Douthit. Special thanks to all the angelic nurses and aids at Edgewood Nursing facility who not only provided excellent nursing care but also befriended Malissa and made her last years much more tolerable. There is certainly a special place in heaven for all of these kindhearted people.

There will be a memorial service at the Gathering Place at Village at Brookwood, 1860 Brookwood Avenue, Burlington NC at 4 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2018. A private committal service will be held at Magnolia Cemetery.

Given Malissa’s education background in downtown Raleigh, the family ask that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to the Positive Attitude Youth Center in Burlington NC, can be found online at http://www.positiveattitudeyouthcenter.com/2501/19185.html . Or, checks can be sent to 229 N Graham Hopedale Road, Burlington NC 27217 with “Anderson Memorial” on the memo line.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Malissa Miller Anderson, please visit our floral store.