Donald E. Anderson, 85, passed away peacefully on May 8, 2014 at Grace Rehabilitation Center of Vero Beach. Don was born in Zelzah, Calif. (now Northridge) in LA County and has been a resident of Vero Beach for 17 years, coming from Summit, NJ. He was the youngest and last surviving child of Pastor Albert and Viola Anderson’s six children. His Dad and Mom were missionaries at a Lutheran school in China for many years, where most of their children were born and spent early childhood.

Following graduation from St. Olaf College, Don went to Luther Seminary. While he graduated, he was never ordained. Rather electing to dedicate himself to immigration and refugee resettlement work in the US and abroad, mostly in connection with Lutheran congregations in the United States, which have very successfully resettled many people from Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, East Africa, Latin America and Indochina over the years. As specific refugee movements ebbed and flowed, Don spent interim years as Asst. Director of the Lutheran Student Foundation at the University of Minnesota and as Alumni Director at St. Olaf College. Don was Director of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service from 1963 until 1976, when he retired. During this time he provided significant leadership in the intergovernmental agency world, particularly during the Ugandan and Vietnamese Refugee movements.

Don was always an active community member and very civic minded. He especially enjoyed providing leadership and support for the many activities in which his sons were involved, particularly managing and programming large swim meets.

He is preceded in death by his siblings: Eunice Anderson Dinga ’49, Albert Anderson ’44, Clara Anderson, Ruth Anderson Lewis ’37, and Gertrude Anderson Hoff ’49. He is survived by his wife, Anne, of 48 years, and his sons, Albert and Sumner.