Marland Dwayne Anderson

Marland "Andy" Dwayne Anderson, age 91, of Greenville passed away on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at his home.

Andy joined the U.S. Army at 17 (he lied and told them he was 18) in 1949 and served until 1973 finishing his time in the Army Core of Engineers.

 Andy served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He received a bronze star from the Army for saving two men in Vietnam and served two tours for that war. When Andy retired from the Army he worked in construction. A serious injury ended that career but the saying "you can't keep a good man down" was Andy - so for the next 15 years he had a paper route.

 Andy was an even tempered kind of guy and laughed often. He was dedicated to everything he did and had a big heart. He was a generous man - always giving what he had to whoever he could. At the top of that list was his family. His granddaughter, Julie, remembers a time she was struggling and he came up and gave her a check and said this will help get what you need. He was right, it did. Whatever was his, was also yours. "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Whether he knew it or not - that was Andy. He was rarely the loudest guy in the room but he was always in the room. I think that is what his family will miss most about him - he always showed up.

 Andy's daughter, Melody, said one of her favorite memories of her dad was the day she got married. She said she can still see him standing in the hallway waiting to walk her down the aisle. When he saw her he started crying, so she started crying. This is just a glimpse at how much he loved her. Another favorite memory of him was babysitting his grandkids. Melody came home from work to find her dad in the recliner and her two year old son, Klayton, making toast. After that, they both decided he may need to retire from babysitting. Going forward, one of his favorite ways to spend time with his grandkids was to take them for long walks on the old railroad tracks across the street from their house. To this day it is one of their favorite memories with him. As Andy aged, long walks became less of an option but again - "you can't keep a good man down". Andy would play chess and checkers with his great-grandkids until they didn’t want to play anymore. He often wore them out not the other way around. He loved a good game and always played to win.

 Andy's proudest accomplishment was no doubt his daughter. He loved her more than anything. Andy also loved gardening and fishing. In his older days he loved sitting on the porch watching the birds. He and Melody would spend a lot of time together doing just that. And while his time in the army was something he would proudly share from time to time, there was no doubt that spending time with his family was his highest honor. He went to everything he could. Andy loved them till the end. They loved and still love him too.

 Andy is survived by his daughter, Melody Moore; son-in-law, Randy Moore; grandson, Klayton Moore; granddaughter, Julie Boggs; grandson-in-law, Wade Boggs; great-granddaughters, Lily Boggs and Sage Boggs; and great-grandsons, Crosby Boggs and Colt Boggs.

A graveside service will be held for Andy on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 10:00 am at Memoryland Memorial Park in Greenville, TX.