Roger Anderson

1941 - 2025

Roger C. Anderson, formerly of Normal, Ill., was born at Wausau Hospital, Wisc., on Oct. 30, 1941, to parents Jerome Anderson and Virginia Anderson (nee Hoffman), Wausau, Wisc., and passed away Dec. 7, 2025, at The Carrington at p, Ill. He was a resident of the Memory Care unit.

He is survived by a sister, Kathy Burger (Ben, Scofield, WI), his wife of 57 years, Mary Rebecca (Becky, nee Blocher); son, John Allen (Andria, nee Stanley, Celina, Texas); daughter, Nancy Lynn (Nathan Ryan, Evanston, Ill.); grandchildren, Lina, Hadley, Parker and Ezera. He was predeceased by parents, Jerome and Virginia Anderson (Merrill, Wisc.); and brother, Allen Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa).

Roger attended one of the first consolidated public schools in rural central Wisc., D C Everest, and his career and life was strongly influenced by the improved educational advantage. He was successful in high school football and wrestling, and was encouraged to attend college at LaCrosse State University (now University of Wisconsin LaCrosse), where he continued success in football and wrestling, and earned a BS in Biology, prepared to teach high school. He was encouraged to attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he earned a MS and PhD in Botany with a minor in Soil Science for a career as a researcher and teacher at universities.

He taught botany and ecology courses, always related to conservation and valuing the natural environment. He was employed at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale from 1968 - 1970, followed by three years, 1970 -1973, as Director of the Arboretum and Associate Professor in Botany at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He then moved to Central State University in Edmond, Okla., 1973 - 1976, and Professor at Illinois State University 1976 - 2008, retiring as University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Plant Ecology. He taught many students, and directed many graduate students, received many awards, gave numerous research presentations and public talks about prairies, prescribed fires in prairie restoration, invasive species, garlic mustard. He published a long list of academic papers. Many of his students became employees of Departments of Natural Resources (Ill. and others) or nationally: US Forest Service, US National Park Service. He was active in local and national conservation issues and organizations, especially ParkLands Foundation, Society for Ecological Restoration, Illinois State Academy of Science, Botany Section of the Ecological Society of America. He was a founding member of the former Southern Illinois Audubon Society.

He lived a long, meaningful life, contributed significantly to his field, and, except for the last year, was able to live in his own home.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 4, 2026, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal, 1613 E Emerson St, Bloomington, IL 61701

If you would prefer to listen to the Celebration of Life on your computer, the link is this:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/949975206?pwd=ZXI2WVkvK3dnMTNXaGFqUmlPaFlwUT09

Or, go to uubn.org and find the link in the upper right corner of the opening page.

If you wish, you may contribute to the Roger C and M Rebecca Anderson Natural History Endowment at Illinois State University to support public speakers on ecological restoration. Other numerous worthy entities include ParkLands Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal. Contribution to A Living Legacy offers the opportunity to plant a tree.