Willis M. Anderson | |
|---|---|
| Member of theVirginia House of Delegates | |
| In office January 8, 1964 – January 12, 1972 Serving with M. Caldwell Butler | |
| Preceded by | Kossen Gregory |
| Succeeded by | John C. Towler |
| Constituency |
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| 37thMayor of Roanoke | |
| In office September 1, 1960 – August 31, 1962 | |
| Preceded by | Vincent S. Wheeler |
| Succeeded by | Murray A. Stoller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Willis Martin Anderson (1928-11-03)November 3, 1928 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 2002(2002-04-23) (aged 73) Salem, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party |
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| Education | |
| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1952–1954 |
Willis Martin "Wick"Anderson (November 3, 1928 – April 23, 2002) was an American lawyer and politician.
He was elected to theRoanoke, Virginia city council as aDemocrat in 1958 and, two years later, became the youngest mayor in the city's history. In 1963, he ran for the Roanoke City seat in theVirginia House of Delegates being vacated byKossen Gregory, and he was elected alongsideRepublican incumbentM. Caldwell Butler. In August 1972,Richard H. Poff, member of theUnited States House of Representatives fromVirginia's 6th congressional district, resigned after being appointed by GovernorLinwood Holton to fill a vacancy on theSupreme Court of Virginia. Both Anderson and Butler decided to forgo reelection, instead seeking their respective parties' nominations to succeed Poff in Congress. Butler defeated Anderson in both the special election to complete Poff's unfinished term and the regular election to a full term. When Butler retired a decade later, Anderson again sought the seat but was bested at the party's nomination convention byJim Olin. Anderson defected to the Republican Party in 1984 and later unsuccessfully ran for mayor againstDavid A. Bowers.[1]
