- Date Of Birth: September 16, 1958
- Date Of Death: April 14, 2022
- State: Minnesota
Paul could be gruff, opinionated, and judgmental. And yet he was extremely intelligent, generous, creative, witty, and always looking for the next adventure. Paul worked hard, played hard, and in the end, got cancer hard. Paul loved his family above all else and continually had his family’s back.
Paul was born on September 16, 1958, in Huntsville, AL and grew up in San Jose, CA. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology in 1980 from University of California, Davis, then a Master of Science in Geological Sciences from San Diego State University in 1982. Shortly after that, he began his career that spanned 34 years as a geophysicist with Chevron Corp.
Sometimes you have to do it twice to do it right. After a brief first marriage, he married Judy Wolf in 1989. Beginning in their younger years, their children, Janae and Nick, lived around the world with Paul and Judy. Chevron gave the family the opportunity to live in three US states and six countries on four continents for 20 years. Paul and Judy retired to their MN summer cabin in 2016. As a family, they had adventures in scores of countries and many US states. Until he couldn’t.
There was no “courageous battle” with his pancreatic cancer, but rather he pragmatically endured it with grace and (sometimes) humor. Until he couldn’t.
Paul loved to travel, golf, camp, canoe, ski, and hike. Cooking and eating and entertaining were a source of joy. Volunteering in the community began in earnest in retirement as he loved the Nevis area and 8th Crow Wing Lake. Life with Paul was never boring; he was a vital, adventurous man who made fun and worthwhile things happen. Until he couldn’t.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, Ann and David Anderson, and his sister, Susan Decker. Surviving grieving hearts include his wife, Judy, his children Janae (Chris) Maher, Nick (Nick Pankewytch) Anderson, and brothers Mark (Tracy) Anderson and Bruce (Jennifer) Anderson, and countless family and friends around the world.
Paul’s only regrets were that he wouldn’t grow old with Judy or be able to know any grandchildren. Live your life with no regrets and be kind. Until you can’t.
While rock formations were his professional expertise, landscapes filled with trees were his personal preference.
