Dr. Donald Nealon Anderson of Mars Hill, age 89, died Thursday, November 6 in Asheville.
Dr. Anderson was born February 12, 1925 in Clifty, Tennessee. He was a son of the late William "Bill" McKinley Anderson and Nota Mae Kidwell and was also preceded in death by his first wife, Peggy Thurman Anderson and their daughter, Donna Gay Anderson Martin. Dr. Anderson is survived by his wife Henrietta Wheeler Hilliard Anderson of Mars Hill; his brother, William Morgan Anderson of Crossville, Tennessee; a step son, Kenneth Ray Hilliard of Johnson City, Tennessee; twin grandchildren, Christian Donald Martin and Amelia Joy Martin of Asheville, and step grandson, John Michael Hilliard of Johnson City, Tennessee.

Dr. Anderson was a US Navy Veteran in World War II (1943 to 1945). He received his AB degree from David Lipscomb College in 1950; his BD from Lexington Theological Seminary (1956); his MA degree from the University of Chicago in 1962; and his PhD in Social Ethics and Sociology from the University of Chicago (1964). From 1954 to 1960, he served as Minister of Woodland Christian Church where he became a member of the Congress on Racial Equality, participating in marches and sit-ins while its Pastor. After completing his PhD in 1964, he taught Rural Sociology, Sociology of Religion and Social Change at Eureka College in Illinois (1964 to 1971) before taking a position at Mars Hill College as Professor of Sociology, Chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department and Dean of Community Service.
Between 1971 and his retirement in 1991, he joined with President Fred Bentley, Academic Dean Dick Hoffman and a group of newly hired academic and activist faculty members to reshape the mission and purpose of Mars Hill College to make it a learning community in service to the mountain region. This led to the creation of the Southern Appalachian Center which launched courses on Appalachia in 1974 and eventually a minor degree in regional studies; establishment of the Rural Heritage Museum and the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies including the special collections in the Renfro Library; the opening of the Southern Appalachian Repertory Theater, presenting plays by regional playwrights or about the mountain region; and, Dr. Anderson's founding of Mars Hill's world champion Bailey Mountain Cloggers, a campus performance group that celebrated its 40th anniversary in August, 2014. In 1972, too, Dr. Anderson was one of the founders of the Appalachian Consortium that linked institutions of higher learning up and down the ridges with agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Blue Ridge Parkway and today exists as the Appalachian Studies Association. During his tenure as head of political science, psychology, sociology and social work departments, Dr. Anderson maintained his strong support for implementing Dr. Hoffman's vision of service to the region by Mars Hill University and its students. He helped shape the Grayson and Bonner Scholars' scholarship program requirements so that recipients provided service in mountain region and beyond. Even in retirement, Dr. Anderson guided the re-creation of the General Education Program on the campus and the reorganization and revitalization of the institution's emphasis on servant-learning including internships and field practicum courses. At the same time, "Dr. Don," as he was affectionately called in the community, continued his "off campus" service and in 1989 received the Land of Sky Regional Council's "Citizenship Award" for his accomplishments as Chair of the Madison Planning Board which developed the county's first land use plan; organizing Chair of the County Housing Authority; member of the Madison Board of Education; improver of Civil Preparedness and Solid Waste Management programs in his role as adviser to the County Board of Commissioners; Chair of the Employment and Training Advisory Council for the Land of Sky Regional Council; member of the regional agency's "Area-wide Water Quality Plan" and longstanding member of its Comprehensive Planning and Development Committee. Dr. Anderson served on the
North Carolina Biotechnology Board, the North Carolina Study Commission on Mental Retardation and, in 1994, was appointed by Governor Jim B. Hunt as a member and subsequently Chair of the North Carolina State Commission on National and Community Service. Closer to home, he devoted his later years serving as Chair of the Beech Glen Community Center and was instrumental in building its new facility.
Always politically active, "Dr. Don" worked in Democratic Party activities from his arrival in 1971 eventually becoming Chair of the Madison Party (1990 to1994) then Chair of the 11thCongressional District. In 1999, he was named "Mountain Democrat of the Year” at the Western NC Gala, formerly the Vance-Aycock Dinner. As co-owner of Ledford Auto Parts and Garage, Dr. Anderson also shared a passion for business and politics with his partner, James Ledford, a member of the Democratic Party and a member and Chair of the Madison County Board of Commissioners.

A memorial service will be held to honor his life at Mars Hill University's Broyhill Chapel on Tuesday, November 11at 1:00 p.m. with the Rev. David McNair officiating.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Madison County Hospice, PO Box 69, Marshall, NC 28753 or Beech Glenn Community Center, c/o Elaine Willis, 219 Calvin Edny Rd., Mars Hill, NC 28754.

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