The son of a coal miner, and one himself for a time, Anderson served in the United States Army as a combat infantryman in World War II, where he was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge near Bastogne.

[2] Anderson served in the Washington House of Representatives from District 48 from 1959 to 1967.

In 1968, Anderson was elected as a Republican to the Washington State Senate from the same district, running unopposed.

[5] Following the death of Justice Charles F. Stafford in 1984, Andersen again was named for consideration, and was chosen by Governor John Spellman for appointment to the seat.

Anderson announced his resignation from the court in 1994, taking effect in 1995.