by Hannah Buckelew

(l-r): Dr. Anderson's eldest son Robert, his wife Lindsey, their son Robert Charles Anderson, Dr. Peter Anderson, and his wife JoanColleagues in the Department of Pathology gathered Wednesday, October 5, for a reception to dedicate the portrait of Reverend Robert and Ruth Anderson, parents of Peter Anderson, D.V.M., Ph.D., Professor, Molecular and Cellular Pathology, and benefactor of the Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair, held by the Department Chair George Netto, M.D.

The Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair in Pathology was established in 2006 in memory of Dr. Anderson’s beloved parents. Reverend Robert Anderson Jr. was an Episcopal minister who specialized in missionary work, establishing faith communities in rural eastern Oregon. His wife Ruth helped in this mission and kept busy raising four sons.

The endowed chair commemorates Robert and Ruth Anderson’s passion for community building, personal development and leadership. Dr. Anderson and his wife, Joan, attended the portrait unveiling along with their eldest son Robert, his wife Lindsey, and their one-year-old son Robert Charles Anderson.

“Although my parents are both deceased, I am grateful to well-known local artist Ernie Eldridge, who was able to capture their personalities in this portrait,” Anderson says. “My family is honored to keep my parents’ spirits alive in support of the Department of Pathology’s mission to continue serving as leaders in healthcare at UAB.”

“It is an honor to hold the endowment supported by the legacy of generosity that Dr. Anderson’s family has established,” says George Netto, M.D., Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair, UAB Pathology. “Peter Anderson has been an unwavering contributor to our department who has made his mark through decades of teaching medical students and trainees. We remain grateful to the Anderson family for their sustained promotion of pathology at UAB.”