Obituary of Daniel D. Anderson

Daniel D. Anderson passed away April 24, 2022 in his home in Coralville, Iowa, after a long battle of esophageal cancer. He was 73 years old. Dan’s family will receive guests at Gay and Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service (2720 Muscatine Ave., Iowa City) for visitation on Thursday, April 28, from 4-6, concluding with a celebration of life at 6 pm. Dan will be laid to rest at the Gowrie Township Cemetery on Saturday, April 30 at 12 pm. Dan grew up in Gowrie, IA with his parents and siblings and attended Gowrie High School, now Southeast Valley High School, and graduated in 1967. He was proud to have earned his Eagle Scout rank. Dan received his BA in Mathematics from the University of Iowa in 1971 with the following honors: Phi Beta Kappa, Collegiate Scholar, and Woodrow Wilson Fellow. He went on to receive his MS and PhD from the University of Chicago in 1971 and 1974 respectively under an NSF Fellowship. Dan started his career in mathematics at the University of Iowa as a visiting Assistant Professor Mathematics (1974-1975). He then served as Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech (1975-1976) and the University of Missouri-Columbia (1976-1977). Dan returned to the University of Iowa in 1977 and served as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor, and Chairman of the Mathematics Department. While at the University of Iowa, Dan served on many committees including the Board of Control of Athletics and the Editorial Board of the Daily Iowan. In 2004 Dan received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring from President George W. Bush. In 2018 he was designated Fellow of the American Mathematical Society. During his career, Dan was the author and co author of numerous books and publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as advisor to nearly 40 PhD students in Mathematics. Dan was a lifelong collector of coins and tokens and was a member of several trade token organizations including The Old Capital Coin Club. Dan’s family include his cherished wife of 51 years, Kathleen; daughter, Caitlin Anderson Beam; grandsons, Benjamin L. Beam (Cassandra) and Henry D. Beam; great grandson, Reid D. Beam; siblings, David Anderson (Konnie) and Jane Daly (James); and numerous nieces and nephews. Sadly, Dan is preceded in death by his parents, Duane and Dorothy Anderson. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in Dan’s memory are suggested to either Compassus Hospice, American Civil Liberties Union or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or to a charity of your choice. Please continue to keep Dan’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.