ObituaryLaura Simpson Anderson, passed peacefully on August 22, 2009 in the late afternoon at her home in Coral Gables, Florida. She was surrounded by family and her devoted caregivers. Born in Tampa, Florida on October 11, 1927 to Edward and Ruth Simpson, Laura grew up in Fort Myers, Florida, graduating from Fort Myers High School in 1945 and Florida State College for Women in 1949. A tribute to her beauty, she was crowned the Queen of the 1949 Edison Pageant of Light in Fort Myers. Her father was the Mayor of Fort Myers in the early 1960s. After graduation, Laura taught art on the islands of Sanibel, Captiva, and Boca Grande, Florida, taking a ferry to the schools before the islands were connected to the mainland by bridges. In the early 1950's, she moved to Miami, Florida where she continued to teach art. Laura became an accomplished artist in watercolors and oils. She exhibited her art in the Beaux Arts "clothesline sales" and later became president of the organization. In 1956, she married Miami trial attorney Duane Anderson, living first in South Miami and then for forty years in the Moorings of Coconut Grove where she and her family made many life-long friends. The Andersons traveled frequently with The Florida Bar, The American Bar Association, The International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the American College of Trial Lawyers and entertained extensively. They also enjoyed hunting quail in north Florida and Georgia and were avid golfers. Another favorite pastime was fishing trips aboard the Old Smuggler which they shared with Duane's partner, Ed Moss. They were long-time members of Coral Reef Yacht Club. The best years of Laura's life were spent with her family on Captiva Island on the west coast of Florida. She collaborated with Miami architect, Robert Bradford Browne, and designed her beloved beach house on the end of Wightman Lane. The family spent many happy summers and vacations on the island and enjoyed their friendship with next door neighbor, American artist Robert Rauschenberg. She enjoyed searching for sea shells and designing needlepoint patterns from the shells she collected. Summers on Captiva were memories of making homemade peach ice cream, seagrape jelly, mango chutney, and snook dinners. Falls were filled with fishing and water skiing in front of the house and enjoying stone crab suppers. The house was always filled with friends and the beach was a frequent site for weddings and sunset worship services. Her Christian faith was a large component of Laura's life. She and her family were very active in St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove. She was instrumental in bringing the Rejoice! Mass to the church. The Rejoice! Singers were students from Saint Andrew's School in Tennessee. They were in demand among many parishes in the Southeast as a contemporary Episcopal choir. In 1972, the choir recorded an album which includes a song written by Laura entitled, Laura's Song.In her later years, Laura was grateful for the visits she received from friends, including clergy and parishioners from St. Thomas Episcopal Parish and for the attentive care she received from her physicians. Laura was predeceased by her husband in 2002. She is survived by her sister, Marion (Simpson) Hines, three children: Ed Anderson, his wife Pam, and their children, Worth, Meghan, and Paige; Lolly Anderson Vieth, her husband, Mark, and their four children, Mark, Savannah, Charles, and Harry; and Charles Anderson , his wife Kelly, and their children, Chad and Kyle. Services will be held at 1 PM on Saturday, September 5, 2009 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 2635 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers, Florida 33901, (239) 334-2479. Reception to follow at Royal Palm Yacht Club, 2360 West First Street, Fort Myers, Florida 33901, (239) 334-2176. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 5690 North Kendall Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33156, (305) 661-3436 or to St. Luke's Episcopal Church.