Eliza S. Anderson, born on August 5, 1935, in Madison County, Kentucky, and passing away on April 21, 2026, in the same beloved county, lived a life that was equal parts grace, grit, and good humor.
She was born to Walter and Myrtle Williams Smith and grew up surrounded by a large family that surely taught her early on how to share, speak up, and survive a crowded room with dignity intact. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Delbert B. Anderson, and her six older siblings, Olin “Smitty” Smith, Preston Smith, Viola Smith Jackson, Marie Smith Masters, Lorraine Smith Becker, and Ernestine Smith West.
Eliza graduated from Kingston High School in 1953. She went on to build a life of steady service and dependable excellence, the sort of person every workplace hopes for. She worked at the Berea College Creamery from 1955 to 1958, and later spent 10 years at the Berea College Credit Union. Her longest and perhaps most legendary chapter was as principal secretary at Berea Community Schools for more than 30 years, where she kept things running with skill, patience, and efficiency that could probably organize a tornado.
Eliza was a longtime member of WestSide Baptist Church, where she served faithfully as a Sunday School teacher, Bible School teacher, and clerk for many years. Her church family knew her as someone who showed up, stayed involved, and did the work without needing applause.
Outside of work and church, Eliza was a devoted fan of the Kentucky Wildcats, and she supported them with the kind of loyalty that did not depend on the scoreboard.
She is survived by her two sons, Kent Anderson and Mike Anderson, and his wife Donna. She was grandmommy to Roxie. Her family will remember her not only for what she did, but for how she made people feel, which was often loved and encouraged.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Friday, April 24, 2026, at Lakes Funeral Home with Pastor Allen Livingood officiating. Burial will follow in the Madison County Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.lakesfuneralhome.com.
