Michael Dale Anderson

Michael Dale Anderson, age 74, passed away at home on September 5, 2023 from cardiovascular disease. Mike was born on June 26, 1949 to Dale and Joann (Quast) Anderson in Sioux City, Iowa. Raised in nearby South Dakota, the family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio when Mike was15 where he graduated from Western Hills High School.

Described by his siblings as “ridiculously talented and adventurous,” Mike proved them correct when he retrofitted an old van into an RV, loaded up his motorcycle, and hit the road. Along the way, he literally “hit the road” in a motorcycle accident which left him with a broken arm. Since the van was a stick shift, he was no longer able to drive and had to ask a friend to come drive him back home. On the way back to Cincinnati the van blew a tire, resulting in a wreck. Since it had a propane tank on it, the van caught fire, and Mike lost everything except for one boot. Undeterred, he ended up driving an old Ford LTD pulling an AirStream camper west to San Diego where a cousin in the Navy was stationed. He left the Midwest armed with skills learned from his father who owned a steam cleaning machinery company in Alcester, South Dakota, and from an apprenticeship in Cincinnati at a milling machine company.

Shortly after arriving in San Diego, Mike began his career as a fabricator and model maker for the Magee-Bralla Design Firm. A few years later he started his own business, Matrix Enterprises, building models and mockups for large corporations such as General Dynamics. A decade later, he joined the team at Nissan Design America as a prototype fabricator (aka “shop guy”). In 2000 he was promoted to “prototype manager,” a position he held until his retirement in 2008. With Mike, the boundaries of work and personal life were often blurred as many of his colleagues at Nissan became his closest and dearest friends. After retirement, those friendships not only endured but deepened.

Mike owned various properties in the San Diego area until he found a site in Jamul where he could realize his dream of an artfully designed modern home, a fully equipped shop, and expansive acreage for collecting and resurrecting old machinery and steam engines, bringing them back to their former states glory. He was always ready and willing to give a tour of his property, preferably with visitors packed into the back of his refurbished 1960’s Cushman. He loved giving people a glimpse of the days of yore when machinery was designed not only for utility but also for aesthetics. For Mike, they were usable works of art. Good at explaining how things functioned, Mike positively glowed when he was describing and demonstrating the power and genius of old designs.

In retirement Mike was able to devote himself to his many interests. He was passionate about restoring antique equipment and machinery--mostly steam engines in his later years. He liked nothing better than spending his days out in his spacious, light-filled shop with his dogs napping nearby. From antique trucks to construction equipment, to Studebakers, to cranes, to his house, to Bumfoot Mine, to antique gas and steam engines--he loved and focused on each of them exclusively for periods of time before moving on to his next area of interest.

A unique character, Mike Anderson was an artist with deep knowledge of how to design and create complex objects. He was a talented fabricator, dedicated to quality and craftsmanship. A true midwesterner, Mike believed that “new” did not always mean “better.” In fact, one of his favorite aphorisms was, “In rust we trust.” And he did. He was strong willed and stubborn at times, but he also had an enormous heart and wicked sense of humor. Generous, loyal and adventurous, he had an appropriate (or inappropriate) story for every occasion. Mike was clever and full to the brim with knowledge and expertise gained through all of his life experiences. He was known for making friends across age groups, avidly supporting artists he cared about--the quirkier, the better. The Acrocats, the Barnacle Boys, and Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra are just a few examples.

Mike is survived by siblings, Carla McLemore (Ron), Lee Anderson (Diane), Todd Anderson, Tracy Anderson (Kim), Lynne McEver (Mark), nine nieces and two nephews. He was predeceased by his father Dale Anderson, mother Joann Anderson, and sister Paulette Gentury. His beloved dogs, Otto and Penny, will miss their daily trips to the mailbox (among many other things) and shop cats, Larry, Curly and Mo(reen) will go about their appointed rounds keeping the shop free of mice.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the organizations that Mike supported:

The Tremble Clefs of San Diego https://www.trembleclefs.com

Crossroads Foundation/Recovery Home San Diego Network of Care

Motor Transport Museum https://motortransportmuseum.org

San Diego Food Bank https://sandiegofoodbank.org

Doctors Without Borders https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum https://www.agsem.com/

As requested by Mike, family and friends are welcome to attend a celebration of life/party to be held at Studeacres (Mike’s home in Jamul) on November 4 from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Bring your stories to share.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.beardsleymitchell.com for the Anderson family.