Father David J. Anderson, S.J., former campus minister and alumni chaplain at Seattle University, died unexpectedly in Spokane on September 5, 2025. He was 61 years old.

He was born in Rapid City, SD on March 20, 1964, one of five boys born to Edmund Anderson, a banker, and Marilyn Rae Gorman Anderson, a homemaker. After graduating from Gonzaga University in 1986 with a BA in psychology and religious studies, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Portland, OR, to begin studies for the priesthood. He earned an MA in philosophy from Gonzaga and taught religion and coached cross country at Gonzaga Prep, 1990-1993, before beginning theology studies at the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, CA. He was ordained a priest in St. Aloysius Church, Spokane on June 7, 1997.

He spent a year as parochial vicar at St. Joseph's Church, Seattle, before taking up pastoral work on Nelson Island in southwestern Alaska, where he served the Yup'ik villages of Toksook Bay, Tununak, and Nightmute from 1998 to 2006. For the years 2000-2006, he also assisted in the diocesan ministry training program, preparing native men for ordination to the permanent diaconate. He had a love for the outdoors from his youth, and regularly accompanied the villagers on hunting trips to supply food for their families.

He returned to Washington in 2006 and served a year as pastoral minister at St. Leo's Church, Tacoma, before moving to Seattle University, where he worked as campus minister, director of Ignatian retreats, and from 2009 to 2024, as alumni chaplain. He was an avid supporter of the university sports programs and served as chaplain to various teams, including men's basketball.  He was one of two chaplains to the Seattle Seahawks.

His most recent assignment was as retreat director at Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, Spokane.

Father Anderson is survived by his brothers, Tim, Tom, Todd, and Shawn.

Letters of condolences can be sent to:

Tim Anderson

12511 NE 101st Street

Kirkland, WA 98033

Mass of Remembrance in Seattle

Thursday, September 18, 2025, at 7:00 pm

St. Ignatius Chapel (Seattle University)

901 12th Ave.

Seattle, WA 98122

Funeral Mass

Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 10:00 am

St. Aloysius Gonzaga Catholic Church

330 E. Boone Ave

Spokane, WA. 99202

Saturday's Funeral Mass will be livestreamed at: https://stalschurch.org/mass-livestream/

Donations in Fr. Anderson's name can be made to: Alaska Native Justice Center - https://anjc.org/