Kenneth W. Andersen, PhD

Kenneth W. Andersen, PhD, age 84, of Erie, passed away peacefully at home on May 1, 2025 after contending with leukemia since 2023. He was born in Jewell, KS on August 18, 1940, a son of the late Alfred and Nellie Baird Andersen.

No obituary could possibly convey all that this man was to so many people; know that what follows is merely a sentence from the book of his life.

Ken credited his youth on farms in Kansas as foundational in developing his solid work ethic and problem solving skills. It established his enjoyment of keeping busy, whether with family time, work, his hobbies, or taking apart the toilet hours before guests were supposed to come over. His family asserts his farm days are also where his mischievous streak first took root.

Ken graduated from Esbon Rural High School and Fort Hays State College with a bachelor and masters degree in biology. He taught at Phillips University in OK and then St. Benedict College in KS where he met his future wife. As a fellow biologist, she was chill about seeing snakes out in the field, which was apparently the way to capture his heart and they were married in June of 1969. They moved to NM for graduate school where he obtained his PhD at the University of New Mexico. His dissertation on the Comparative Renal Efficiencies In Five Species Of Peromyscus is available in the UNM repository and will either be considered a riveting work or a sleep aid, depending on the reader. The couple then moved to Pittsburgh where Ken took a job at NUS Corporation and University of Pittsburgh.

In 1972, he was recruited to Gannon College (now University) where he spent 25 years teaching a variety of biology courses, including his popular Bahamas course that would allow him to escape to a warm island in winter for a week. His family has fond memories of the year they joined him there for over a month while he was on sabbatical, trading in snow boots for sandals and following morning classwork with afternoon snorkeling. He was the Department Chair of Biology at Gannon University for 16 years before becoming Associate Dean and then Dean prior to his retirement in 2001. His love of teaching continued after his retirement, when he became the director of the statewide program called Science in Motion for 15 years, taking science to the students.

Erie is where he also performed his greatest role as the most fantastic father, and later as ‘Pa’ to his grandchildren. Ken was diligent in instilling a love of science, especially of the natural world, in his children’s lives. His university schedule meant there was time for an extended road trip nearly every summer. Whether it was a station wagon hauling a pop-up camper or a minivan loaded with tent camping supplies, the family made countless memories as they explored much of the country by road. Camping was always accompanied by meals of “The Andersen Special”, a simple mix of ground beef, potatoes, corn, and seasonings cooked over the fire or on a portable camp stove, which always tasted extra good at the end of the day’s outings. It was on these adventures a running joke developed that no matter how far was left on a hike, it was only a quarter mile more to the end. Similarly, no matter what the gas gauge read in the car, it could go 40 miles more. Both statements were disproven on more than one occasion.

His mischievous streak was ideal for being a dad and grandpa, with tall tales and gentle teases sprinkled throughout the years. His kids willingly accepted for a short time that sheep on a hill had legs shorter on one side than the other and could only graze in one direction or they would tip over. While his kids caught on to when he was being goofy over the years, his sweet and sincere daughter-in-law notes it took some time before she could figure out if he was kidding or not when he told stories. His orneriness occasionally backfired, as when he flippantly answered his young granddaughter’s question about his favorite color with ‘yellow’ and was stuck with yellow themed gifts ever since.

Besides traveling, Ken enjoyed photography, woodworking, bird watching, gardening, hiking, biking, and kayaking. He built furniture, swing sets, and playhouses for the kids and grandkids, along with a plethora of wood crafts, including numerous wooden toys which he frequently gave away to friends and family.

His enjoyment of birding was shared with his family, and he would be the willing driver on many trips to go find birds. Ken often accompanied his daughter when she ran a Little Big Year in 2011 and encouraged her to make a daytrip on her own to northwest Ohio in October that year, resulting in a whole new group of friends and an introduction to professional guiding. He was also content to spend warm afternoons along with his wife relaxing in their little shaded nook in the yard, listening to the gurgling stream he built and watching the birds that visited it.

Ken absolutely adored spending time with his grandkids and routinely spoiled them. He enjoyed watching them both progress through their karate lessons, encouraging their artistic pursuits, and taking them to play outdoors to continue instilling an appreciation of the natural world in the next generation. He took extra delight in being the official ice cream buddy to his grandchildren. There was never a visit with the grandkids that didn’t have at least one night with ice cream for dessert. He loved hearing his granddaughter play the violin and clearly enjoyed one more personal performance by her after he entered into hospice care.

Ken had an extensive network of friends whose company he enjoyed over the years, especially when he had to slow down due to the cancer. Special acknowledgement to his friend Jerry, who introduced Ken and his daughter to the joys of kayaking years ago, and continued to be Ken’s buddy on bicycling outings and weekly lunches around the area. He deeply appreciated everyone else who spent time visiting him these last few years.

Ken also enjoyed reading, jigsaw puzzles, and Sudoku to keep his mind sharp. He was a founding board member of Presque Isle Partnership and a board member of the Presque Isle Audubon Society.

His family thanks him for a lifetime of love, the gentle wisdom imparted over the years, the bolstering of courage in moments of uncertainty, the modeling of how to be a true partner to the one you love, the joy in adventures big and small, and how to find humor and happiness in everyday moments.

Special thanks to Dr. Jan Rothman, his nurse Anne Patterson, the staff of Hillman Cancer Center, and the nurses of the Hamot Infusion Center, whose fawning over him was the source of much amusement to his family, along with the hospice nurse Kristin and aide Sandy.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Dorothy Rupert, Louis Andersen, and Clair Andersen, as well as Alfred Andersen Jr. who died at birth.

Ken is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Nancy Andersen; children: Casey Andersen of Erie, Katie Andersen of Erie, and Kevin (Asako) Andersen of Liverpool, NY; grandchildren Sophia and Aiden Andersen; siblings: Ione Shipley, Nadine Wesner, Kathryn Tilton, and Jay (Judy) Andersen, and many nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind a vast collection of hats and caps forgotten at a variety of restaurants and hotels across the country, along with his wife’s precious notebook that contained her early life list of birds which he left in a phone booth somewhere.

His family would like to share his popular pancake recipe, but that is an impossibility as he made them differently every time, serving them up with an explanation of which recipe he used followed by a litany of adjustments and substitutions.

In character with his scientific mind, he donated his body to research so he can add “Went to med school” to his resumé. A celebration of his life will be held at Presque Isle State Park on August 18, 2025, details to come.

Memorial donations may be made to Erie Bird Observatory, 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 12, Erie, PA, 16505, www.eriebirdobservatory.org

Arrangements by Burton Quinn Scott Cremation & Funeral Services, West Ridge Inc., 3801 West 26th St. 

Send condolences at www.BurtonQuinnScott.com.