Hon. G. Ross Anderson, Jr. was born January 29, 1929, in Anderson, to parents Eva Mae Pooler and G. Ross Anderson, Sr. He received his Bachelor of Computer Science degree from Southeastern University in 1949, and then attended George Washington University from 1949–1951. He served in the Air Force from 1951- 1952 and received his LL.B. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1954.
He began his political career as an assistant to U.S. Senator Olin Johnston and was elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1954. He operated his own law firm in his hometown of Anderson for over 26 years, where he specialized in criminal defense and personal injury cases. In 1980, he was nominated by Pres- ident Jimmy Carter to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. In recognition of his lifetime of accomplishments, the federal court- house in Anderson was renamed after him in 2002. He retired in March 2016.
Judge Anderson was the recipient of many awards including Outstanding Trial Judge of the Year Award from the SC Trial Lawyers Association, the War Horse Award from the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, and the Distinguished Judicial Service Award from the Civil Justice Foundation. He was awarded honorary degrees from the University of South Carolina, Anderson University, and the Charleston School of Law. In 2002, he was awarded South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto from Gov. Jim Hodges.
He was one of 12 original founders of the SC Trial Lawyers Association, where he served as president. He was a member of the SC Bar and served on its Board of Governors. He was a fellow of the International Society of Barristers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He was an avid supporter of Anderson University. In 2016, the G. Ross Anderson, Jr. Student Center was dedicated in his honor.
The Hon. G. Ross Anderson, Jr. died on December 1, 2020. He was married for 64 years to Dorothy Downie Anderson until her death in 2014. He is survived by his son, G. Ross Anderson, III; grandson, Nicholas Anderson (Billie); and sister, Frances A. Thompson.