It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Donald Leigh Anderson. He passed peacefully on Friday, January 17th, surrounded by loved ones in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Don was born on June 20, 1934, in the small community of Scandia, Alberta. Don received his BSc degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Alberta in 1956. He then worked as a design engineer and field engineer in Edmonton from 1956-1960. He received his MS in Civil Engineering in 1962 from the University of Illinois and his PhD in Engineering Mechanics from Stanford University in 1965. He worked as a research engineer at the Stanford Research Institute before joining UBC as an Assistant Professor in July 1966. Don was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976 and Full Professor in 1990.
As a faculty member, he made significant contributions in the areas of nonlinear analysis of structures for seismic excitation, theoretical and experimental analyses of masonry for seismic conditions, code provisions for masonry design, dynamic nonlinear response of blast loaded structures, and wall and shell instability analysis.
Dr. Anderson’s advice was sought on several world-class projects both near and far because he is outstanding in his field of applied mechanics. He was part of special visiting delegations to sites of major earthquakes around the world; documentation of the findings from these visits has helped to shape current practice. He was recognized as the consultant’s consultant – a role he excelled at among both the members of the external engineering community and his Department colleagues in the areas of structural and geotechnical engineering.
Throughout his academic career, Don was always a champion of students. His door was always open, and more often than not, a student was either sitting in a chair talking with Don or discussing concepts on the board. Over many years, Don provided excellent service to the Department in several roles, including course scheduling, graduate advising, curriculum committee work, and five years as Assistant to the Head.
Don is survived by his wife Edith, his daughter Lis and her husband Owen, his son Scott and his wife Annette and their daughter Madeleine, and his sister Beth. He is predeceased by his brothers Dick, Bud and Lincoln, and his sister Joyce.
Don will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him. He will be remembered for his intelligence and curiosity, his wry smiles, and his generosity and willingness to support others. He was an important mentor to a generation of students. He was a great listener. Though sometimes a man of few words, when he spoke, people listened. Were you to throw a party, back in the day, Don might be the first to arrive and the last to leave. When such skills were called upon, he could knit himself a sweater, fly an airplane, bake delicious sourdough bread, keep a hive of bees, or build half the furniture in the house. Don had strong views on the correct loading of dishwashers. He was an engineer to the very end.
On February 6th, there will be flag lowering in the honour of Dr. Don Andersen. Please keep his family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time.
For more information on the flag lowering ceremony, please visit UBC Ceremonies and Events.