Ret. Colonel Eddie L. Anderson

Colonel Eddie Lee Anderson, 83, passed away on February 1, 2026 in Waco, Texas.

The son of Helen Louise Anderson (Walter) and James Winston Anderson, he was born December 14, 1942 in Waco, Texas where he grew up working with his dad on the farm. Eddie graduated from Waco High in 1961 and went on to college. While attending Baylor University, he worked at Providence Hospital where he met the love of his life Margaret (Marty) Cocek. In 1967, they were married and Eddie graduated from Baylor University. Soon after he graduated, he entered the Air Force where the adventure began. They welcomed their daughter Michele (Shele) Renee, while stationed at Travis AFB in California, daughter Shawn Kathleen while stationed at Clark AFB in the Philippines, and ‘the twins’ Brandy Lynn and Jason Lee while stationed at Langley AFB in Virginia – finally a boy to balance things out!

As a military man, Eddie proudly served his country for over 25 years. His active-duty tours took him, his family – including their dogs and cats, oh how he loved his boxers! – around the globe with numerous assignments across the US, Europe and Asia. He received numerous honors, awards and medals for his service over the years, and retired honorably in 1992 from the Air Force as a Colonel after his third and final tour at the Pentagon assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

After he retired, Eddie served as the commissioner for the Chesapeake Region Volleyball Association overseeing the numerous Junior Olympic volleyball clubs on the east coast. He then went on to work at the Family Research Council before finally moving back to home base – Texas – where he launched his second career in the budget office at Baylor University utilizing his legendary attention to detail and superb analytical skills. He retired from Baylor in 2013.

After losing the love of his life in 2009, Eddie went on to find love again, marrying Katherine Lewis in April 2011, with Kathy and her son and grandchildren becoming part of his life. Eddie and Kathy shared a love of gardening and landscaping and joined the Waco Rose Society together, with Eddie serving as the President for 2 years, working diligently at the Carleen Bright Arboretum; their home is fondly referred to as the Anderson Arboretum by the family.

Eddie was known for his integrity and loyalty, his love of getting up extra early and going to breakfast, adding hot sauce to almost everything, believing that the whole half-gallon of ice cream was a single-serve container, that if he was awake you should be too, and for coming up with the most perplexing of questions – being unafraid to challenge generally accepted ideas, and most importantly, that faith, family and country were the core of his life.

He was preceded to heaven by his first wife, Marty; parents, Helen and Winston Anderson; and older brother, James (Jimmy) Anderson. He is survived by his current wife, Kathy Anderson; his children from his first marriage, Shele Boles and husband Kyle, Shawn Lee and husband Paul, Brandy Archdale and husband Brian, and Jason Anderson and wife Nichole; grandchildren, Cameron, Reagan, and Edward Lee, Brodi, Brogan and Bron Archdale, and Brooks and Abby Anderson. He is also survived by his wife’s son, Eric Schmidt and grandchildren, Morgan and Blake Schmidt.

Also left to mourn are his brother, David Anderson and wife Ann; sister, Margaret Kramer; and sister-in-law, Cindy Anderson; as well as many nieces, nephews, family members and friends.

Flowers are welcome or donations may be made to the following: Waco Rose Society - Attn: Linda McKee (President), 805 Heritage Pkwy. Axtell, TX 76624 or to the American Cancer Society: https://donate.cancer.org/