Just two weeks shy of his 90th birthday – and less than two months after retiring from a 73-year career in drycleaning, Thomas “Tom” Anderson of Mequon, WI, passed away peacefully in his home.
Born in Iron Mountain, MI, on March 12, 1934, Tom moved to Milwaukee in 1942. He was raised by a single mother in a humble home and developed a strong work ethic and a deep determination to create a better life. At age 9, he began to help his brother deliver newspapers. By age 12, he was the manager of two paper routes of his own.
At 16, he would begin a lifelong career in the drycleaning industry, starting out working for Spic and Span Cleaners where he earned 75 cents an hour. Three years later, he was recruited by Eureka Laundry who hired him to pick up and deliver laundry to customers. He would go on to be a delivery route salesman for Vogue Cleaners. After six years with the company, he had saved enough money to purchase his own truck and work on commission and he proceeded to develop a strong customer base in Milwaukee by treating customers like friends.
In 1981, he branched out further on his own by purchasing Lloyd’s Drycleaners & Laundromat. Several years later, he bought Village Valet Cleaners. He deeply enjoyed being a business owner and loved his work, rarely taking a day off. After 73 years in the drycleaning industry, he finally retired at the age of 89 on Dec. 31, 2024.
In his persona life, Tom was a gifted musician who played the accordion in a popular local band called The Mello-Dees. In 1955, when performing at the East Side Armory dance hall, he met his future wife, Bobbie Ansay. The couple married in 1956 and had eight children together. In 1999, Tom married his second wife, Vickey Rogers, who was also a longtime business partner.
Tom is survived by his wife Vickey, his eight children and best friends, Kim (Peter), Susan (Robert), Tom Jr., Michael (Colleen), Joseph (Sonja), Robert (Gretel), John, Daniel (Carrie), and his beloved children’s mother Bobbie, as well as his adored 26 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Tom is also survived by his cherished brother, William (Bill), many nieces and nephews, and his dearly loved extended family, Mary, Schnelle (Al), Sonia (Jarvis) Lynn, and their families.