Centenarian artist inspires all around her
Antoinette (Toni) Anderson's appearance and energy belie the fact she turned 100 years old on Jan. 1, 2018. A tribute to her determination, Anderson attends a weekly art class at the Wheeling Park District each Friday, taught by Northbrook artist Enid Silverman - herself in her mid-80s. Recently, the class held a birthday party for her to celebrate Anderson's new century.
Anderson began her interest in art when their kids were grown and she and her husband moved to Mt. Prospect. "After all our friends passed away, the church became our social life," she said. "One of the women was an artist (who) invited some of us to come over if we were interested in painting. She had a studio in her basement."
Anderson found it relaxing and stayed with it.
After the first teacher retired, Anderson found another teacher she stayed with for several years. During that time, she created a home studio in which to paint. To her, painting "was wonderful! I keep on ding it and really enjoy it! It's therapy time for me," she said. "I love it so much, I hope I never have to stop. I just passed my driver's test and am glad I can make it every Friday! Enid is wonderful and I really admire her and am grateful for her help."
"It lifts my spirits to talk with Toni," said Silverman. "She is always smiling, positive, eager to learn and quite charming. She is a real sweetheart and is an inspiration to us all to think young and be confident. She makes us all feel we can do it, even if we are getting older!"
"Toni is a very sweet person with a talent for painting," said current classmate Darlene Husch of Wheeling. "Her paintings are so beautiful and she always comes to class with a smile, good thoughts and a concern for others."
The sole surviving member of her childhood family, Anderson was born in Chicago but moved to Wilmette in 1920. "We had a wonderful life, but because I as so involved with my family and cousins, I really had no outside interests."
She attended New Trier High School, and then went to the University of Illinois before transferring to St. Mary's College-Notre Dame in Indiana. When her father died in 1939, Anderson transferred to Moser Business School in Chicago. She lost her mother two years later. It was while in school that she met her now nearly 101-year-old husband, Jim.
The couple first met when introduced by the manager at the flour mill at which she worked; the manager was a friend of her father's. Since Jim recently moved from Minnesota, "He asked if my dad if he would introduce Jim to some young people. We dated for about two years and married in 1941." They returned from their honeymoon on Pearl Harbor Day. Her new husband immediately joined the Navy for four years.
"It changed our lives," she said. When he went overseas, she struggled through the war, moving to Minneapolis to live with his family before he returned in 1945.
Upon his return, they moved to Park Ridge and started their family. Their now 73-year-old son Tom lives in Arizona and Poplar Grove, while their daughter Sue, 74, lives with them.
"When Sue's husband died seven years ago," Anderson explained, "she moved in with us, which allows us to stay in our house. Since Sue was an eighth-grade English teacher, we read a lot. When she married, she got into working with the airlines."
While their daughter's airline flight benefits, the couple traveled extensively and explored many countries, in addition to taking road trips through the states.
"Travel and my church have been important," she said, "and my faith keeps me going and strong, but I also love to paint." Anderson has been taking lessons from Silverman for about 10 years.
Classmate Bess Wade of Wheeling said, "In addition to being a precise, detailed artist, Toni embodies grace and beauty."
During the recent between class birthday party, classmate Tanya Malitsky of Buffalo Grove said, "Toni was really excited as she talked about herself and her family. She said 'I cannot believe I am 100 years old and have been married for 73 years! We are always together and do everything together.' She is quite a wonderful woman, really something!"