Anderson, who died in 1983, was a 135-pound quarterback on the Pearl River football team. He was named on the 1963 All-American Junior College second team. He was married to the late Francis Johnson and they had one daughter, Patty Gail Helton of Purvis.  In a second marriage, he had four children, two daughters (Jessica and Julie) and two sons (Howard Jr. and Danny).

Anderson later graduated from William Carey College. His brother, Lonnie, was inducted into the PRCC Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.