Zane Anderson

Zane Jacob Anderson died peacefully on the morning of October 17th, weeks shy of his 92nd birthday.

Born in Stanhope, New Jersey on the evening of November 29, 1933, to Helene (Hammer) and Albert Frank Anderson, Zane grew up in Port Morris, New Jersey with his sisters Dawn and Jane. Albert died in 1947. His mother later married Jack Nichols who adopted his new family with a loyalty true to his nature.

Zane graduated from Roxbury High as a full-fledged football star, a strength that earned him a scholarship to Brown University. He graduated from Brown in June of 1956, married Joyce (Marangelo) in September, and welcomed his first daughter Kendra the following year. His second daughter Kyra was born while earning his master's degree in architecture and design from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

The family settled in Providence where Zane's son Axel was born. In 1963, Zane founded his architecture firm, designing and remodeling commercial and private structures with an expertise in historic restoration. A three-walled outhouse was his first design; it still stands in Washington County Maine where his family spent many summers.

Zane taught at Rhode Island School of Design for years before joining the faculty at Roger Williams University (RWU) in 1981where he remained until his retirement. While at RWU, he helped establish the school of architecture, now the Cummings School of Architecture, and continued his legacy of pioneering designs focused on energy efficiency and sustainability.

In 1979, Zane married Carole Jean (Majure). They traveled to Greece, China, Cuba, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Central America, Turkey, the Stans, and countless other countries. In 1987, they moved to Bristol where they were active in the community for the rest of their lives. Zane founded the Bristol Tree Society in 2000. A tulip poplar he planted in front of their house is now the tallest of its kind in the state.

Although Zane had countless professional accomplishments, he will be remembered most for his childlike ability to play, to be silly, and to draw others into his antics. Some things he loved: learning, puzzles, art, movies, ice cream, sunshine, projects, pranks, puns, Chet Baker, Inspector Clouseau, scaring kids (and us) at Halloween, the ocean, travel, and, paradoxically, routine. He was a life-long swimmer, doing laps from the time he was a teenage lifeguard on the Jersey Shore to the Covid winter he donned a wet suit and swam in the Bay.

Zane leaves behind his children Kendra, Kyra, and Axel, his stepchildren Cecelia and Michael and Michael's wife Ann, and his seven grandchildren: Jake, Wyatt, Elliot, Camila, Grace, Bella, and Ariana. He now joins his beloved wife Carole who died less than three months before him. Zane and Carole were a rare and beautiful match. It's fair to say that though he suffered the inevitable loss of agency and health that comes from living with Alzheimer's, he ultimately died of a broken heart. We're glad they're reunited, but we will miss him forever.

A Celebration of Life will be held on November 15th at 2:00pm at Roger Williams University's North Campus Residence Hall, 1 Old Ferry Road, in Bristol, RI

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to your local tree-planting organization or to the The Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA Program (Bristol, RI) @ arborday.org/our-work/tree-city.usa