Nina Murphy Anderson died at her Wellfleet home on March 2, 2025. The cause, confirmed by her daughter Britt Anderson, was complications of dementia. She was 91.
The daughter of Frederick C. and Nina G. Murphy, Nina was born on Aug. 4, 1933 in Longmeadow, where she grew up. After graduating from the MacDuffie School in Granby in 1950, she studied Italian with former Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti’s grandfather at Mt. Holyoke College. “Her brush with fame,” Britt said, “was babysitting for Bart.”
After her junior year, she switched to political science, graduating in 1954. Nina took an administrative job with the CIA in Washington, D.C.
In 1956, Nina met Calvin Anderson, a CIA analyst. They married that same year and settled in Alexandria, Va. Nina and Calvin were married for 62 years; he died in 2018.
In 1966, the family moved to Westport, Conn., where they lived until 1986. During those years, Nina worked in constituent services for U.S. Rep. Stewart McKinney. When they moved to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Nina worked in constituent services for her state representative, James Cobey.
When their longtime summer rental on the Outer Banks was sold, they searched for another place, settling on Wellfleet in 1975. In 1982, they bought a cottage that had originally been a place to store hay on Cahoon Hollow Road. After six years in Raleigh-Durham, Nina and Calvin retired to Wellfleet, tore down the cottage, built a year-round home, and settled in.
Nina volunteered for many organizations here, including the St. Vincent DePaul Society, Meals on Wheels, Friends of the Library, and the Wellfleet Historical Society. She was also active in Our Lady of Lourdes. She especially enjoyed coffee hours with friends.
She loved the beach and for years spent her summer days under an umbrella at Newcomb Hollow.
Nina is survived by her children, Ted Anderson and partner Tomomi Ueda of Burlington, Vt., Britt Anderson of Hull, and Eric Anderson and wife Maria Juster of South Wellfleet, and her grandchildren, Eilish Anderson and fiancé Joel Lockhart of St. Louis, Mo., Kerstin Anderson of New York City, and Charles Anderson of South Wellfleet.
The family expresses gratitude to the strong women who took care of Nina for the past five years: Kelly, Floran, Mitzi, and Donna (the 4-3-2-1 Group), and Janet, Dainte, Steph, and Linda. They also thank the nurses of Beacon Hospice, who made the end simple and peaceful.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Nina’s honor can be made to the Society of St. Vincent De Paul Cape & Islands, Meals on Wheels/Elder Services of the Cape & Islands, or the Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum.
Nina’s family and friends will celebrate her life at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 5 at Our Lady of Lourdes in Wellfleet.
