William Ralph Andersen

William Ralph Andersen, age 76, passed away December 16, 2006 of prostate cancer, surrounded by family at his home in Orem, Utah.
Ralph was born on the Andersen Farm in Rexburg, Idaho on December 11, 1930, to Harriett Ricks and Omra Rubert Andersen. He was the second of two brothers. He married Connie Rae Lyon in the Idaho Falls LDS temple on January 28, 1955. For 52 years, they shared equally in their marriage and parenting responsibilities. They will remain true companions forever.
Ralph was a farm boy who cherished his childhood in Rexburg. He spent many summers playing in the Teton River bottoms surrounding his home, where he and his cousin Joanne would ride horses and float the river in their homemade raft. He worked with his Father on their farm growing potatoes, hay, and wheat. They also grew seed peas and sold them to canning companies in Utah. After moving to Orem he grew a cherry orchard and loved working on his tractor.
He graduated from Madison High School and then attended Ricks College in Rexburg where he met Connie in their school's marching band. Ralph was uncommonly handsome and charming, and Connie became enamored with him on their first date, as he did with her.
Ralph received his bachelors and masters degrees in Agronomy from Utah State University. He then went on to study Genetics at the University of California at Davis, where he received his Ph.D. under renowned plant geneticist, Dr. Charlie Rick.
After working at the University of Minnesota at St. Paul for 3 years, Ralph became a professor at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 1966, where he taught and maintained an active laboratory in the Botany Department. He loved teaching and influenced many students. Ralph and his family took sabbatical leaves in Boston at Brandeis University, and at Dupont Laboratories in Wilmington, Delaware. He traveled around the world researching genetics and presenting papers. His many accomplishments at BYU include pioneering a genetic map of the sugar cane genome, as well as a genetic map of corn. He also co-authored a college textbook on genetics that is still in circulation.
He served two full time missions for the LDS church, the first at the age of 19 to the Central States Mission, and the second in 1999 with his wife to Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific, where they shared airplane rides between islands with pigs and chickens, and had occasion to "sleep" in a hut next to an erupting volcano that shook the earth, while giant spiders crawled in and out of the thatched roof above their heads. Ralph also loved serving as Bishop of the BYU 200th married student ward.
Ralph possessed an intellectual mind that was balanced with great faith. Because of his love for science and God, he continually sought truth, knowledge, and insights into our world and beyond. His intellect, faith, charity, and sense of humor provided friends and family with many hours of thought-provoking conversations. He loved his family and instigated many incredible family adventures. He loved skiing, cooking, camping, hiking, golfing, and many other activities. Even into his 70s, he was unable to sleep the night before a day of family skiing, due to excitement and anticipation. When asked near his death what he thought of life he fervently replied, "I have enjoyed it immensely!"
Ralph is survived by his wife Connie, and 5 children and their spouses; Sallie (Lynn), David (Angennette), Steven (Janita), Timothy (Debbie), and Joshua (Audrey), 19 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. He is greatly missed by all, and we look forward to the day when we meet again. His parents; his beloved brother, John; and his beautiful baby girl, Karen Christina, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 22, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS chapel at 1051 E. 200 N. in Orem. A viewing will be held at the same location on Thursday, December 21 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and on Friday at 10 am, prior to the services. Interment will follow after the funeral at Orem City Cemetery.