Charles ‘Greg’ Anderson March 27, 1961 - October 1, 2019

Charles Gregory ‘Greg’ Anderson, Ph.D.

of Chesterfield, Missouri passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 after suffering a heart attack. He was 58 years old. Greg was an associate professor of biology at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri from 2010 to 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Karen Rankin Anderson and two daughters, Shannon Anderson and Carly Anderson as well as his mother, Judith Wantland, father Charles Raymond ‘Andy’ Anderson (Cheryl Anderson), brothers Russell Anderson (Lisa Anderson), Eric Anderson (Gentry Anderson) and Tyler Anderson (Josh Viets).

Those who knew Greg, appreciated his “rapier” wit, his incredible knowledge of all things biology, his disdain for nonsense and stupidity, his brutal honesty, his unusual affinity for Hawaiian shirts, and his deep love of his family and friends.

When Greg wasn’t teaching, he spent much of his time attending his daughters’ soccer and field hockey games, tending to his native plant garden at Lindenwood, rescuing dogs and cats, researching habitat restoration at Lindenwood’s Boone Home, fighting virtual battles on his iPad, traveling, spending time outdoors and “fighting ignorance since 1988 … it’s taking much longer than I thought.”

Greg had a life well lived. After his departure from High School in Chesterfield, Missouri, he joined the United States Navy for 5 years hunting submarines. Then, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Missouri – Columbia. He next worked as a research assistant in the Division of Mammals at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

After marrying his high school sweetheart, Karen, Greg went on to earn his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Following his graduation, he spent the next 20 years teaching university courses including biology, anatomy, physiology and evolution at Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, OR., University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. and Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO.

Greg was an organ donor, giving “anything they will take, I won’t need it.” So, there are other families who will live on, further honoring such an amazing man. He will always be remembered and loved by those he touched.

Services: A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 8, 2019 in the Lindenwood University Cultural Center auditorium at 400 N. Kingshighway, St. Charles, MO, 63301.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to a fund created by Lindenwood to support and maintain the Missouri Native Plant Conservation Garden in Greg’s name. The link is: https://give.idonate.com/lindenwood-university/sciences-memorial-garden