Leslie Catherine Anderson of East Brunswick, NJ passed away on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at the Hospital of the University Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. She was 53 years old.
Leslie was born July 9, 1969 in Indiana, Pennsylvania to William D. and Rose A. (nee Holiday) Anderson. She spent the majority of her life in New Jersey, however her early years were spent moving around as part of a military family.
She was Valedictorian of the 1987 Graduating Class of Rahway High School, Rahway NJ and was honored as the first recipient of the P. Roy Vagelos Award. She continued her studies at Rutgers College at Rutgers University, graduating in 1993 with a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry and a Teaching Certificate. She received her Masters in Chemistry Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003, where she distinguished herself as the Bristol-Meyers Squibb Fellow. She was an Educator, Mentor, Innovator and Organizer, who believed in the Children who are our future.
Leslie started her teaching career at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark, NJ in 1993 and was named “Teacher of the Year” in 1995. She moved her talents to East Brunswick High School (EBHS) in 1995 and continued for 27 years. During her career she taught all levels of academic chemistry, including Honors and Advanced Placement Chemistry; academic and Honors Physics and the popular elective, Forensic Science, which she developed, wrote the curriculum for and implemented. Never satisfied she was working on a “Leadership Course” that would involve community leaders interacting with the students, in addition to the classroom presentations. She completed the details while in the hospital and planned to teach the course this Fall. In addition to her high school responsibilities, she was selected to serve as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, where she taught courses in the Chemistry Education curriculum. She was very proud of this achievement.
She was an active member of the EBHS Community where she had advised the Key Club, coached Boys Bowling to a Division and State championship, was one of the founding staff members of the Science Honor Society and spent fifteen years as the yearbook advisor. She was co-advisor to the National Honor Society and was a driving force for school and community service and spirit, with PowderPuff Football/Bonfire and the High School’s Relay for Life. Her last achievement was as Co-Advisor and Head Mentor to the East Brunswick First, Inc., the highly competitive robotics team competing under the international organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). In 2022 that team placed nationally in competition.
In addition to the acknowledgements already noted, in 2000 she was named as a “Teacher Who Makes Magic”, in 2013 she was honored with the “East Brunswick Public School Governor’s Recognition Teaching Award” and in 2020 was presented with the East Brunswick Education Foundation’s, “Partner in Excellence Award”.
She was predeceased by her sister Barbara A. and her son, Darryl Greene, Jr.; her brother, William D. Jr.; her paternal grandparents, William and Mildred (nee Price) Anderson; her maternal grandparents, Andy and Caroline (nee Ruggeri) Holiday; her uncles, Joseph Holiday and his wives, Evelyn and Judy; Michael Holiday and James Holiday. She is also predeceased by members of her husband’s family; father, Raymond J. Monahan; mother, Jane C. Monahan; sister, Patricia (nee Monahan) Sutter; aunts and uncles, Muriel Anderson, Joseph Anderson, Edward Callan and Mary Callan.
Surviving are her loving husband of 25 years, Kevin Monahan; her parents, William D. and Rose A. Anderson; her sister Mary E. (nee Anderson) Mull, her husband Roger and their daughter Caroline; her uncle Stephen J. Holiday; her aunts Susan L. Anderson; Zita M. (nee Holiday) and her husband Joseph Bernabei; her nieces, Jennifer Greene and her partner John; Nicole Greene and her partner Antwon; her sister-in-law, Cathleen Rotter and her husband, Michael and their family; her brother-in-law, Raymond E. Monahan and his wife; and brother-in-law Robert Sutter; her nephews-in-law, Michael and Matthew Sutter; her uncles-in-law Joseph Anderson and his wife Sharon; and their children, Coleen and Christopher; and her cousins-in-law, Caroline; Marybeth Callan and her daughter; and Laura Jean Callan.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, October 1, 2022, at 11:00 am, at the Memorial Chapel in Saint Bernard’s Cemetery, 100 Oak Street, Indiana, PA.
Arrangements are being handled by the James F. Ferguson Funeral Home, Inc., Blairsville, PA. 724-459-7611
www.jamesfergusonfuneralhome.com
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