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Germany Valley, West Virginia

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This webpage is dedicated to the life and writings of Stanalene "Stannie" Skidmore Anderson.


Stannie was born on November 26, 1926 in Morgantown, West Virginia.


She was married to Arvel Franklin Anderson, Jr. in 1951. They had two sons, William Arvel (born in 1952) and Michael Stanton (born in 1954). They moved to Topeka, Kansas in 1957, where Stannie began her career with the Topeka Capital-Journal, the local newspaper. She spent most of her working career as General Assignment Reporter; Assistant City Editor, and City Editor.


In 1961, her marriage ended in divorce.  She was left to raise two sons alone during a time when there were no employment benefits  and midwestern society was not kind to single mothers.There were also very few repercussions available to help single mothers deal with "deadbeat" fathers that did not pay child support.


Stannie was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1968. Although her doctors believed it to be incurable, the cancer went into remission and never recurred.


In 1970, 18-year-old William was killed in an accident.


Stannie won many writing awards. Notably, one was given for a series of articles on adopting hard-to-place children. She retired from the Capital-Journal in 1992.


Stannie moved from Topeka in 1998 when, due to her failing health, she purchased  a home in the Washington, DC area to be near her son, Michael.


Stannie died on January 26, 2000 at her home in Burke, Virginia, after a long illness. She is buried next to her son, William, at Penwell-Gabel Cemetery and Mausoleum in Topeka, Kansas.

A Website for Stannie Anderson