Former MTS Trustee Rev. Henry Andersen Dies

09-20-2012

By M. Edwards

President Frank Yamada notified the McCormick community of the death of Rev. Henry William Andersen.

Rev. Henry Andersen was 87 years old when he died in Portland, Oregon on September 3 after a short illness.

Rev. Andersen graduated from McCormick with honors in Theology in 1951. He returned to serve on the Board of Trustees from 1977-1984. He and his spouse, Mary, also established the Henry and Mary Andersen Fund for Global Awareness to help McCormick increase opportunities for international students and provide all McCormick students with opportunities for cross-cultural experiences across the globe. In 2001, Rev. Andersen received the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

President Yamada noted, “We were saddened to hear of the passing of a very distinguished alumnus in Henry Andersen. His life, ministry and legacy at McCormick are at the heart of who we are as a seminary. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family.”

In more than four decades, Rev. Andersen served in four Presbyterian churches as pastor and head of staff -- in Ellsworth and Wichita, Kansas; LaGrange, Illinois and Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In each church he witnessed to the gospel through his pastoral presence and by advocating for racial, economic and social justice. Furthermore, he held numerous local, national and international church positions in the Presbyterian Church and beyond and was active in the greater community.

Of special note, Rev. Andersen served on the Nestle Infant Formula Commission from 1982 to 1991 and engaged in on-site inspections in Tanzania, Kenya, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil and Argentina. The Commission’s work led to major changes of Nestle’s practices.

The Rev. Henry “Hank” Andersen is survived by his wife Mary Ester Dunkin Andersen and their four children including Rev. Dr. Timothy D. Hart-Andersen, Pastor/ Head of Staff of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. Like his father, Rev. Hart-Andersen is also a McCormick graduate, a former member of the Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Rev. Elizabeth Hart-Andersen, are joint recipients of the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Award. Nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren also survive Henry Andersen.

The family has requested gifts to the Henry and Mary Andersen Global Awareness at McCormick Theological Seminary Scholarship or to a charity of one’s choice in lieu of flowers. A memorial worship service was held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland on Saturday, September 15, 2012. Additional memorial services are scheduled for Saturday, October 13 at 10 A.M. at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Avenue in Minneapolis and on Saturday, October 20, time to be announced, at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Boulevard, Cleveland Heights, Ohio.