Jock Anderson, who died on Oct. 13, 2015, was Professor of Classical Archaeology at UC Berkeley where he was a beloved mentor to many generations of students. He was a well-known and well-respected figure on campus.
Born in the Punjab, and educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond in Scotland, and at Christ Church, Oxford, Anderson served in the Royal Highland Regiment (the “Black Watch”) in the Second World War, and took part in the campaign in South-East Asia, providing vital service in intelligence. He participated in major excavations in Greece and Turkey, taught at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand and, with his wife Esperance, moved to Berkeley in 1958 where he spent the rest of his distinguished career.
Anderson’s passions were as fascinating as they were eclectic. He had an extraordinary knowledge of English, Scottish and Greek poetry, and he published major works on ancient horsemanship, military theory and practice, ancient hunting, and on the soldier and historian Xenophon. Anderson was known for his erudition, curiosity, humility and kindness.
Read Anderson’s full obituary and share your memories of him in the Comments section there.
Berkeleyside is always honored to publish, at no charge, obituaries of members of the Berkeley community. Please email text and photo(s) to editors@berkeleyside.com.
