Orville John "Jack " Anderson of Needham died July 15, 2008 at Youville Hospital in Cambridge at age 79. Hailing from Seattle,WA, Mr. Anderson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University, class of 1950, in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs. Following graduation he moved to New York City where he earned a MA from Teachers College at Columbia University and then continued with doctoral work in Social Psychology at New York University. Mr. Anderson's subsequent career in public service reflected his lifelong commitment to social justice. In the early 1950's he developed a YMCA storefront center for boys in Hell's Kitchen, NYC. Later he worked as a community organizer for the Lower East Side Neighborhoods Association (LENA) where his role was to coordinate churches, settlement houses, and other organizations to solve local problems. One of his most cherished memories was when he organized a large coalition of Lower East Side residents to attend the 1963 March on Washington. Later in the 1960's, he continued community organization for the federally sponsored Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) in Syracuse, NY and in New York City. In 1970 the family relocated to Needham, MA. For the next several years, Mr. Anderson worked for the department of Health, Education and Welfare in Boston serving as regional comptroller and in other administrative capacities. He retired in 1994 as the Director for the Refugee Resettlement Program for the Northeast Region, enabling thousands of Southeast Asian refugees and other displaced persons to resettle in the area. His interest in history, art, and languages led Jack and his wife Jeanette on many trips to Western and Eastern Europe. Other ardent passions included long distance cycling, regular exercise, Chinese cooking, and working the New York Times crossword puzzle every day. He was married for over 52 years to Jeanette McDonald Anderson. Mr. Anderson was the beloved father of Mark A. Anderson of Newton, Erika A. Funari and her husband Tony of Newton, Luke T. Anderson and his wife Paula of North Yarmouth, ME and Victoria P. Anderson Davies and her husband Russell of New York City, NY. He was also the devoted grandfather of Jacqueline, Ryan and Cameron Anderson. A memorial service will be held at the Eaton Funeral Home 1351 Highland Ave Needham on Saturday, July 26 at 11:00 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Interment at Needham Cemetery will be private. In lieu of flowers donations in Jack’s name may be made to the American Diabetes Assoc., PO Box 11454 Alexandria VA 22312.