Charlie Anderson papers and photographs

Charles R. Anderson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1923. He graduated from high school in Cambridge City in 1942 and majored in Accounting at Indiana Business College, graduating in 1950. Charles enlisted in 1942 and served in the United States Navy until 1946. He was trained as an Aviation Machinist 1st Class during his military commitment and served two years in the Pacific during World War II. After leaving the Navy, Anderson began working as a machinist at the Ball Brothers Corporation in Muncie, Indiana from 1947 to 1952. After a brief period working at the General Motors Allison plant in Indianapolis, Anderson returned to Ball Corporation in 1954, remaining employed there until 1971. During those years, Anderson became an active member of U.A.W. Local 93, serving as president six times. From 1971 until his retirement in 1992, Anderson worked at Delco Remy in Anderson and was an active member of U.A.W. Local 662. As a union representative, Anderson lobbied for the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act (1985), the Highway Bill (1987), and various initiatives related to veterans' benefits reforms.

In 1963, Anderson worked for the State Department as Education Director for the Agency for International Development. As part of his duties, Anderson trained union leaders from the Republic of Cyprus, focusing specifically on teaching techniques and tactics to avoid communist infiltration in their unions. In 1978, Anderson traveled to Denmark on behalf of Senator Edward Kennedy in order to do research on the country's social reforms and legislation. Anderson also played an active role on the Ball State University Medical Development Committee, resulting in the construction of the Edward F. Ball Medical Education Center. In 1991, Charles received the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash award from Governor Evan Bayh.

Charles Anderson died on January 4, 2009 at Community Hospital in Anderson, Indiana.