- Date Of Death: May 7, 2015
- State: Colorado
Alan Wendell Anderson, affectionately known as Lanny, died at the age of 65, on May 7, 2015, in Denver, Colorado, after a long, courageous battle with cancer.
Lanny was born in Kane, Pennsylvania, as the middle child of Herman (Chip) (deceased 2002) and Phyllis Anderson (deceased 2014). He went to the University of Northern Colorado receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and the University of Notre Dame Law School receiving his Juris Doctorate, graduating magna cum laude. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force as a Judge Advocate General for 5 years. After being honorably discharged, Lanny accepted a position as a lawyer at the Denver law firm of Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons and quickly became a partner. After working at RJ&L for over 25 years, his next career adventure landed him in Colorado Springs as a Deputy District Attorney, Economic Crimes Unit. After being diagnosed with cancer, he returned to Denver and joined the law firm of Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell. He was a very brilliant and phenomenal litigation attorney, who was admired by his colleagues and the entire legal community. He was also the founder of Pro Bono USA, an organization created to assist attorneys in helping indigent individuals receive free legal assistance; International Missions, Inc. and the Sherpa Foundation. He also served on the board of Easter Seals of Colorado.
Lanny enjoyed doing many things outdoors, including golfing, hunting and fly fishing and was quite an accomplished billiards trick shot artist. His dream was to retire and become a fly fishing guide. Lanny was a world traveler having had exciting adventures in Australia, New Zealand, London and even Mount Everest. He was a man of great faith and integrity. He loved God, family and country. Lanny taught his friends
and loved ones how to live life to its fullest and how to die with grace, love and dignity. Albert Einstein said, “The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.”
Lanny was a man who gave to his work, to his family, and his friends. His was a life that demanded notice; that exemplified brilliance; that inspired emulation; and that shown brightly so that others’ paths were lit. In his career as an attorney, he worked with passion, integrity and energy. By his death all the people who knew him will miss a highly intelligent, vibrant individual with a rare friendliness and charm. Lanny was a genuinely warm and wonderful individual. Our sorrow is lessened only slightly with the comforting thought that we had the privilege to know him. He embraced death courageously knowing he would be with his Lord and would be reunited with his
parents and brother, Gary, who died in 1976 in a Navy flying accident at Miramar Naval Air Station after surviving being a P.O.W. in Hanoi for 6 years.
Lanny is survived by his two children, Ryan 26 and Morgan 23, his precious granddaughter, Brooklyn Anderson 8 months, of Denver, Colorado, his brother, Brian Anderson of Burlingame, California, his aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
