Stephen Anderer, 52, expert on family law and child custody

Stephen John Anderer, 52, of Wynnewood, a leading expert on family law and child custody, died Aug. 28 while competing in the Cedar Island 5K Swim in Avalon.

A gifted athlete, Dr. Anderer was in the third leg of the sunset swim around the island when he felt some discomfort, law partner Mark A. Momjian said.

Rescuers in a boat pulled Dr. Anderer from the water and sped to a nearby dock, where paramedics were unable to revive him, Momjian said. The cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

For more than three decades, Dr. Anderer advocated for children, using his dual expertise in the fields of family law and clinical psychology. One of only a few Pennsylvanians with such training, he became an expert in child custody evaluations.

In addition, he was regarded as the commonwealth's leading expert on parent coordination, a mediation process aimed at reducing stress on families and children in high-conflict custody cases.

Born in Philadelphia, Dr. Anderer grew up both in Lafayette Hill and Greenwood, S.C., where he starred as an offensive lineman in high school. In 1985, he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Yale University. While there, he played football and rowed.

"He was an amazing athlete," Momjian said. "You can't find me a modern college student who plays varsity football and also is on the crew team. Stephen did all of that."

One of Dr. Anderer's fondest memories occurred in November 1983, when he played football before 70,098 fans at the Yale Bowl, during the 100th game between rivals Yale and Harvard. Harvard won the game, 16-7."It was a great game, anyway," said his wife, Dr. Susan E. Anderer.

Dr. Stephen Anderer graduated from the law-psychology program at Villanova Law School and Hahnemann University. He completed a law degree in 1992 and a doctorate in clinical psychology in 1997.

His dissertation focused on ways of assessing whether senior citizens were competent enough to make personal care and financial decisions on their own. "He developed a measure to assess competency," his wife said.

Dr. Anderer taught family law at Villanova Law School for the last two years. He also completed a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Robert L. Sadoff, a noted forensic psychiatrist.

Dr. Anderer was a longtime partner in the Family Law Department of Philadelphia's Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis. Six years ago, he and partner Momjian broke away to form their own law firm, Momjian Anderer L.L.C., in Center City.

He was the author of numerous articles on Pennsylvania family law, and his contributions on competency and child custody evaluations appeared in books published by Oxford University Press.

He gave dozens of panel presentations, especially on behalf of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Dr. Anderer served on the board of directors for the Support Center for Child Advocates, a nonprofit that provides legal assistance and social service advocacy for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia. He was honored as its Advocate of the Year.

He was a diehard fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, and was a frequent participant in the Broad Street Run and the Philadelphia Triathlon, as well as numerous half-marathons and bicycle tours.

After college graduation, Dr. Anderer rode a bicycle across the Pacific Northwest. Later, once he married and had a family, he was a coach and fan of his daughters' sporting and dancing events.

Friends thought of him as "larger than life," his wife said. "He was always seeking the next adventure, and eternally optimistic. He was very warm and compassionate."

Besides his wife of 24 years, he is survived by daughters Arielle, Meredith, and Samantha; two brothers; and a sister.

Funeral services were Aug. 31, with interment in West Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery, 1130 Vaughan Lane, Gladwyne, Pa. 19035, or to Friends of Stephen J. Anderer Fund, 20 Valley Stream Parkway, Suite 280, Malvern, Pa. 19355.

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