ENROLLED
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 237
BY REPRESENTATIVE HOFFMANN
A RESOLUTION
To express the condolences of the House of Representatives upon the death of Robert B.
"Bob" Anderson.
WHEREAS, the members of the House of Representatives were saddened to learn
of the death on April 28, 2019, of Robert B. "Bob" Anderson, at the age of eighty-five; and
WHEREAS, born in Sebastopol, Mississippi, to R.A. and Elizabeth Black Anderson,
Bob graduated from Calhoun City High School in Calhoun City, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Louisiana
State University; and
WHEREAS, he served two years in the U.S. Army, teaching English to Puerto Rican
recruits at Fort Buchanan; after being discharged, he moved to Monroe and began his
impressive journalistic career: he worked as a sports writer, and later, sports editor, at the
Monroe Morning World (now known as The News-Star); thereafter, while pursuing his
graduate degree, he was a reporter for the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (now known as
The Advocate); and
WHEREAS, he returned to Monroe in 1961 to serve as sports information director
and assistant professor of journalism at Northeast Louisiana State College (now known as
the University of Louisiana at Monroe); he worked at the institution for thirty-three years
and earned the title "The Dean" by setting the standard in his profession and holding a
variety of positions, including news bureau director, advisor to the university newspaper and
yearbook, director of the letterman's club, and assistant athletics director; and
WHEREAS, when Bob retired from the school in 1994, he had served as sports
information director longer than anyone else in the same position at any Louisiana university
and served longer than any other member of the school's athletic staff; and
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WHEREAS, in his retirement, he served as an aide to Congressman John Cooksey
for six years, including four years as press secretary; he also wrote and published Indian
Territory: The Story of ULM Athletics; and
WHEREAS, he eventually returned to the university's sports information staff and
served as a volunteer editor of the L Club newsletter; and
WHEREAS, Bob was the recipient of many awards and accolades: induction into the
Southland Conference Hall of Fame and University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) Hall of
Fame, being named Mr. Louisiana Basketball by the Louisiana Association of Basketball
Coaches, a Lifetime Achievement Award awarded by ULM's alumni association, and the
Mac Russo Award for Progress and Ideals, and a Distinguished Service Award in Sports
Journalism from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA); and
WHEREAS, he was a member of the College Sports Information Directors of
America and LSWA; he served as vice president of the Monroe Downtown Optimist Club
and, later, as president of the Bayou DeSiard Optimist Club, which awarded him the
Optimist of the Year Award; Optimist International honored Bob with the Distinguished
President Award; and
WHEREAS, Bob served as a board member and Sunday School teacher at Memorial
United Methodist Church, and later, filled the same roles, in addition to chairman of the
Mission Committee and a member of Methodist Menders, at First United Methodist Church
in Monroe; and
WHEREAS, his love of sports reached a new level when his grandchildren became
active in athletics; attending or listening to the broadcast of every game he could, Bob often
submitted stories about their games to local newspapers, beating their own reporters to the
punch; and
WHEREAS, left to cherish the memory of Robert B. "Bob" Anderson are his loving
wife of fifty-six years, Nike Poulos Anderson; sons, Nick, and his wife Cheree, and Tom,
and his wife Natsuki; grandsons, Andrew and James; granddaughters, Kaili and Kina;
brother, Jim, and his wife Meg; and several cousins and nieces; and
WHEREAS, Robert B. "Bob" Anderson was beloved and respected by faculty, staff,
students, and alumni during his tenure; he will be missed, but his legacy will live on.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express condolences on the death of Robert B. "Bob"
Anderson; does hereby express deepest sympathies at the loss of this trailblazer in college
athletics; and does hereby offer prayers and hopes of comfort to those who mourn his
passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Robert B. "Bob" Anderson.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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