It is with profound gratitude for life and great sadness for loss that we mourn our husband, father, friend and fellow adventurer, Paul Arnold Anderson, 73, of Bothell, WA, who passed away on January 28, 2023, after suffering a heart attack.
Paul was born on September 11, 1949 to Rev. Arnold and Caroline Anderson and the community of Ballard First Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA. In 1956, Paul moved with his parents and younger sister, JoMarie, to Portland, OR when his father took a call to Portsmouth Trinity Lutheran Church. There he spent his formative years, building lifelong friendships and cherished memories of a home filled with music and founded in deep faith and unconditional love. After Paul graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1967, he went on to study Secondary Education and Psychology at Pacific Lutheran University.
After graduating from PLU in 1971, Paul loaded up his bicycle for a two-week road trip from Renton, WA down the Pacific coast to begin graduate study at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA. There, he served in many local ministries, the most influential to him being the San Francisco Night Ministry under Rev. Don Stuart. During his service, he answered crisis lines and walked the streets in a clerical collar, building relationships with people living and working near Polk Street and the Tenderloin. It was there he began to clarify his desire to serve, not as the leader of a parish, but rather within the mental health field.
With this insight, Paul left seminary and returned to Washington State. He took two roles as youth director at Gloria Dei Lutheran in Olympia, WA in 1973, and two years later in 1975, at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA. There he met and fell in love with Jan, who was working as the church receptionist. After Paul made far more photocopies than necessary in his pursuit of Jan’s attention, the two married just over a year later on February 7, 1976.
In 1978, after building many happy memories among Lutheran youth communities, Paul returned to graduate study at Seattle University to pursue his Masters in Counseling. In his second year, first daughter Siri was born; he cared for her during the day, while Jan worked, and took classes at night to complete his degree. At the end of his study, he took an internship with Lutheran Social Services of Washington, which eventually became Lutheran Counseling Network, where he would spend the majority of his career as a marriage and family therapist.
Soon followed two more children, Leah and Burke, to complete the family. Paul delighted in fatherhood, sharing his love of adventure — biking, running, canoeing, hiking and camping — through many fantastical trips into the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, searching for eagles, whales, waterfalls, and pursuing high peaks. He also enjoyed building projects, including the design of three treehouses and one zip line at family homes. To the frequent groans of his kids, he would often repeat, “Remember your 4B’s: You’re beautiful, bright, beloved, and the best!”
Biking, running, and reading were his most-loved pastimes throughout life. He reveled in the biographies of presidents and others who lived inspiring lives rooted in justice, service and faith. He set and reached goals of running and biking the equivalent of the circumference of the earth (24,901 miles). It took him 25 years to achieve this running, never giving up despite setbacks due to MS and days when he might only be able to complete one mile. After losing the use of his legs in 2008, he attempted to complete that goal a third time on his hand-bike, getting nearly 90% there before his passing. Throughout his life, he completed 5 marathons and 5 Seattle to Portland Bike rides, plus two more STP attempts on his hand-bike.
Diagnosed with MS in 1986, at a time when very little was known about the disease, Paul bravely met its challenges with abiding faith. He wrestled fiercely with the disease’s often devastating toll, with Jan by his side. Each day he chose to meet devastation and loss with a posture of hope and gratitude, never giving up on his goals or his belief that it was possible to achieve them.
Deeply committed to the Lutheran church and his community within it, Paul was a relentless thinker and questioner in earnest pursuit of living a life in alignment with the word of God. He was unabashedly vocal on politics, advocating for social justice and non-judgment. He believed adamantly that all people could know God’s love, regardless of their knowledge of the Bible, trusting that God creates infinite and unique paths for His children to be found.
Paul held enormous gratitude for the blessings in his life of family, friends, community, and the support he felt from everyone who knew, loved, and journeyed with him in times of both laughter and hardship. He was never alone.
Paul is survived by his wife, Jan; children Siri, Leah, and Burke; son-in-law, Marty; sister, JoMarie; brother-in-law, Lowell; as well as his many deeply loved friends, colleagues, and extended family members, too many to name. Undoubtedly, his love remains steadfast and with us all, as he rides his bike unhindered and with joy on the other side of life’s mysterious veil. (Most likely on his hand-bike until he hits his goal on that 24,901st mile.)
Donations can be made to Lutheran World Relief, an organization Paul admired throughout his life. We also invite anyone who is interested to join our team in Paul’s memory for the MS Bike event in September, either through riding with us or through donation.
A memorial service will be held on March 4, 2023 at 1 p.m. at First Lutheran Church of Bothell. Services will also be live-streamed via the Bothell First Lutheran YouTube page
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