Paul Eric Anderson, of Lancaster, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Born on April 9, 1949, to Walter and Mona Anderson, Paul grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, graduating from Concord-Carlisle High School in 1967. He married Catherine Piantedosi in 1972, and together they made their home in Maynard, Pepperell, and Berlin before settling in Lancaster.
Paul turned a lifelong talent for understanding how things work into both a career and a passion. After completing a technical auto mechanics program and earning his ASE certification, he went to work at the Jordan Marsh Car Care Center in Burlington. He later became a maintenance mechanic at Digital, where he worked for decades. The name on the building changed many times over the years, but Paul just kept doing the job he loved — same desk, same toolbox, through every transition.
Paul’s love for automobiles extended well beyond work. In his younger years, he raced the quarter mile at New England Dragway. In retirement, one of his proudest projects was restoring his 1964 Corvette. As an active member of Corvettes United of Central Massachusetts, Paul regularly attended classic car shows and get-togethers across New England. His fully restored Vette brought home countless trophies — a few of which were comically too large to even fit inside the car for the drive home!
If you knew Paul, there’s a good chance something in your home, garage, or driveway worked a little better because of him. While there seemed to be little he couldn’t figure out, he had a particular knack for tracking down electrical problems in cars that left others scratching their heads. He was always there to help his sons, Craig and Nicholas, with whatever was broken, instilling in them the same instinct to fix their own things.
When he wasn’t tinkering, Paul was often keeping an eye on the stock market. He loved personal finance and passed that interest on to both of his sons. In retirement, he put that knowledge to work volunteering with AARP for eight years, preparing tax returns for seniors and low-income individuals and helping hundreds of people along the way.
Paul loved his family traditions, especially summers at Hills Beach in Biddeford, Maine, a favorite getaway since his youth that he later shared with his family. He was always up for a spur-of-the-moment adventure, from go-karts at Funtown to late-night rounds of Canasta. He even crafted a custom, oversized Sequence board so everyone could join in the fun.
Extreme heat, pouring rain, or a long drive rarely kept Paul away from his grandkids’ games or meets. He could be found at the finish line cheering on Sophie at cross-country meets, on the sidelines at Claire’s soccer games, or in the stands rooting for Max at basketball games. If one of his grandkids was competing, Paul wanted to be there.
Paul was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Mona, and his brother, Gary. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Catherine; his son Craig and his wife, Jess Cogswell; his son Nicholas; his sister, Carol (Anderson) Seale-Beers; his beloved grandchildren, Sophie, Claire, and Maxwell; and many cherished nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a cause Paul gave to quietly and often over the years.