David M. Anderson, 76, of Roxbury died peacefully on Saturday, May 6, 2023.

David was born on December 25, 1946, in Meriden, son of the late Frederick and Ruth (Wadsworth) Anderson. He grew up in an area which, at the time, was surrounded by dairy farms and hundreds of acres of woods. Throughout his childhood, he explored that land and developed a strong appreciation for nature and the outdoors that lasted throughout his life.

David graduated from Orville H. Platt High School in 1965 and served in the US Navy from 1966 to 1970. In 1971 he was hired by the state Department of Fish and Game to work in the trout hatchery it was constructing in northeastern Connecticut. When the construction was completed, the hatchery was the most modern in the US.

In 1975, David left the employ of the state and moved to Newtown, where he pursued several types of work including a custom knife making business, a knife making materials business, residential construction, and landscaping. In the late 1980s, he discovered his true passion in the art of landscape photography and, after studying at Maine Media Workshops, he launched his own photography business, New England Impressions. He sold his work primarily at arts and crafts shows.

David photographed throughout Connecticut and New England, but he was particularly fascinated by Litchfield County. One of his favorite books was George Black’s, The Trout Pool Paradox, in which Black extols the beauty and uniqueness of Litchfield County and the Shepaug River Valley.

One of David’s last photographic projects took place in the fall of 2016 when the water level in the Shepaug was exceptionally low. David realized it would afford him the rare opportunity to photograph areas of the riverbed that had heretofore been hidden. He was also able to shoot from places where the water had receded, thus gaining new perspectives on the river.

In 2019 David retired and moved to Roxbury where he continued to hike, bike and explore the countryside to the extent his health would allow. His last, favorite place to enjoy nature was the Audubon Center at Bent of the River in Southbury.

David will be remembered for his craftsmanship, his warmth, his kindness, and his commitment to the environment.

He leaves behind a sister, Gail E. Anderson of Montclair, N.J., as well as several cousins, a host of dear friends and neighbors and a team of loving caregivers.

Contributions may be made in David’s memory to the Audubon Society or the Nature Conservancy.

A memorial gathering will take place at a later date.

The Newtown Bee May 26, 2023