Robert A. Anderson was born on 2 May 1919, and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
spending his entire life living on Milwaukee’s southside in the 13th Aldermanic
District. He graduated Pulaski High School and attended Milwaukee Area Technical
College. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served from 1940 to 1944 in the Pacific
Theatre during World War II, leaving with the rank of Master Sergeant. He married
Sylvia E. Anderson and had four children. Anderson was first elected 13th District
Alderman in 1964 and served the District through 1996. He served as Common Council
President from 1980 to 1984.
As an alderman, Anderson was known for both his temper and his devotion to
constituents of his district. Anderson said after his election in 1964 that “I don’t
care about the city. The city didn’t put me in office, the people did. That’s going
to be my policy for the next four years.” He was a strong opponent of salary raises
for elected officials and major critic of the Department of Public Works
Commissioner Herbert Goetsch. At one point he called for the abolishment of both the
Common Council and Mayor, citing that department heads had all the authority so
neither position was needed, then later said each could stay. His temper got him
forcibly removed from the Mayor’s office by policemen on occasion, and caused him to
punch State Senator Gerald D. Kleczka at a 1975 party. Former Ald. Tom Nardelli
described him as “a real hothead… but deep down inside, he cared about the people he
served.”
During his time in office, Alderman Anderson served as a member of the Emergency
Government Administration, Municipal Court Operations Study Committee, Special
Committee on Resource Recovery, University of Wisconsin Coordinating Committee,
Urban Committee, as well as the MECCA Board, Central Board of Purchases, the Central
Electronic Data Services Board, and the Greater Milwaukee Convention and Visitors
Bureau. Anderson planned to run for Mayor in the 1984 election, but backed out in
1983. Anderson announced on September 26, 1995, that he would not seek re-election
for the 13th Aldermanic district, ending his 32-year post as Alderman. Anderson died
on 24 April 2006, at the age of 86, due to complications resulting from Alzheimer’s
disease.
