Sidney Anderson

On October 13, Sid Anderson, 66, passed away from a sudden heart attack while doing what he loved - cycling near the top of the hills of Santa Barbara. Sid is survived by his wife, Cindy, of 41 years and their children Kirsten Hollett (Brian) Ariel Anderson, Eric Anderson, three grandchildren, brother Shawn Anderson (Colleen) , sister Sue (Greg), brother-in-law Gary Dittmer , sister-in-law Brenda Greenlee,; and 7 nieces and 1 nephew. Sid’s parents Sidney and Edis Anderson and sister Lucinda Dittmer predeceased him. Sid lived a life of eclectic interests and sought many unique experiences. Born in Iowa, then growing up in western Illinois, his rural beginnings fueled a lifelong love for hard work and being outdoors. He attended Augustana College and received a BA in Business Administration, where he met his wife, Cindy. After graduating from Augustana, Sid furthered his education at Arizona State University where he received an MBA, specializing in Finance. Post-graduation, he worked as a financial analyst for Jones and Laughlin Steel Company in Pittsburgh, PA and Cleveland, OH. After getting married, Sid and Cindy settled in Sycamore, IL where their three children were born. Sid’s strong leadership and problem-solving skills were demonstrated through his work in finance at Sundstrand in Rockford, IL, and the company later sponsored him in the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership where he earned his second MBA. Upon graduating from MIT, he resumed work at the headquarters of Hamilton Sundstrand, a United Technologies company located near Hartford, CT. Sid’s business career later moved the family to Wichita, Kansas where he became the CFO of Hawker Beechcraft and finally to California where he became President and CEO of his own company. Sid and Cindy moved to Santa Barbara in 2017. During his life Sid touched many lives and reveled in creative challenges. God’s provision continually followed the family through their many homes and varied experiences. Sid loved to provide opportunities for the family to travel and experience different countries, cultures, and especially world class food. On any given day he may be found with a classic rock song playing in his pocket, painting options for their wine label, cycling in the Santa Barbara hills, standing at the stove cooking breakfast burritos, shaped pancakes for his grandchildren, or Crème Brulée, watching a Seinfeld re-run, or most often out in the vineyard with his big straw hat, working hard while experiencing God’s creation. He will be missed by many for his guidance to creatively solve problems, his intentionality in planning special times for others to enjoy, and most of all the love he had for his family. To celebrate Sid’s life on earth and to glorify God for the hope of heaven and his eternity now with Jesus, a service will be held at Santa Barbara Community Church, 1002 Cieneguitas Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93110 on Saturday, October 26th at 10 am. A luncheon reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, in Sid’s memory, a donation can be made to Project Understanding, whose mission is to transform lives and empower independence by providing resources to the most at risk in their community. Sid was a former Board member of Project Understanding. He often demonstrated compassion to those struggling in poverty and with homelessness. Donations may be made online on the link below, or by mail to Project Understanding, 2734 Johnson Drive Suite E, Ventura, CA 93103 https://www.projectunderstanding.org

Sidney Anderson

March 18, 1958 - October 13, 2024