Former professor, chair of political science department Raymond V. Anderson dies at age 91
April 24, 2014
Raymond V. “Ray” or “Bud” Anderson, of River Falls, passed away on April 10, at age 91, at the Lutheran Home. He was unable to recover from injuries sustained from a fall several weeks earlier.
He had recently returned from a trip to Argentina and Chile with his son, Greg. Ray and his wife Zora celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 2, 2013.
Ray was a professor and chair of the Political Science Department at UW-River Falls from 1963 to 1990. He had a 41-year teaching career in North Dakota, Illinois and Wisconsin. He loved teaching and often described his life as a teacher as “the world’s most wonderful profession”.
Ray was elected to the Pierce County Board of Supervisors in 1974, was reelected 13 times and served on numerous committees. His favorite committee, which he chaired, was the Agricultural and Extension Committee. He was also the chair of the State, North Central and National Extension Advisory Committees and as a professional lobbyist made numerous trips to Madison and 33 trips to Washington, D.C., lobbying members of Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Extension. He retired from all committees in 2000.
Ray loved gardening, making wine and spending time at his 20 acre parcel of land 3 miles south of River Falls. He traveled the world, 30 trips with his wife, Zora, and 28 with his son, Greg.
He is survived by his wife Zora, children; Denise McGee, Barbara (Jeffrey) Miller, and Gregory Anderson, grandsons; Maxwell & Dallas McGee and Matthew Miller, brother Lowell; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Pearnel and Tillie; brother Myran; and son-in-law, Max McGee.
Cremation services were provided by the Cremation Society of Minnesota and interment will be at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery near Spooner, Wis.
A celebration of life will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Society of River Falls, N8010 State Rd 65, River Falls, Wis., at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, with a visitation one hour prior to the service, and a reception following.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in celebration of his life are requested to the Garden Club c/o UUSRF, N8010 State Rd 65, River Falls, WI 54022, or to the Dr. Ray Anderson Scholarship Fund, UW-River Falls Foundation, 410 S. 3rd St., River Falls, WI 54022.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the staff at the Lutheran Home and Adoray Hospice for the loving, compassionate, care extended to Ray and his entire family.
(Editor's note: Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies Wes Chapin received this obituary from Anderson’s children.)