Obituary of Doug Anderson

Douglas Steven “Doug” Anderson, 69, of Lindsborg passed away Sunday, June 4, 2023. Doug was born September 5, 1953 in Salina, KS, the oldest of four children to the late Leo and JoAnn (Lindgren) Anderson. Doug grew up on the family dairy farm and attended Smolan Grade School through the eighth grade and graduated from Lindsborg High School in 1971. He was very involved in 4-H and was an excellent showman of dairy cattle. He also enjoyed participating in school plays and musicals. He married his “wife for life” Mary Beth Struzzo, on November 19, 1988 at Stony Point Christian Church, in Kansas City, KS. Doug was blessed with the birth of his daughter Lindsay Nicole on April 16, 1982 and son Austin Steven on January 1, 1991. After a year at Kansas State University, Doug felt a calling to serve the community he loved and began his 46-year career in law enforcement as a reserve police officer in Lindsborg and by working security for Bethany College. He started full time with the Lindsborg Police Department in 1976, and in 1977 he attended the police academy in Hutchinson, KS. Doug started as a patrol deputy with the McPherson County Sheriff’s Office on September 1, 1978. Over his 42 years with the Sheriff’s Office, Doug became certified in and instructed personal safety awareness classes for 34 years. At one time, he taught in all of the elementary schools in McPherson County. He was a Crime Stoppers Law Enforcement Coordinator from 1989-2018. He received his promotion from deputy to investigative captain in 1993, becoming the only detective at the time. Doug was a traffic radar instructor, worked on the Drug Task Force, and served on the Kansas State Crime Stoppers Association Board as president, vice president, and past president. Doug received his D.A.R.E. Officer training in Colorado Springs and was selected as the top student by the training staff. Upon graduating, Doug started the McPherson County D.A.R.E. program in January of 1993 and quickly became known across the county as Detective Doug. The first schools he taught in were Canton, Galva, and Lindsborg. Windom, Little River, Inman, Marquette, and Moundridge were later added. He would go on to be the McPherson County D.A.R.E. instructor for 26 years. He became a D.A.R.E. Mentor in 2007 and attended his first D.A.R.E. Officer Training as a mentor in 2008. He mentored new D.A.R.E. officers in Kansas, South Dakota, and Iowa. He was also a regional board member of the Kansas D.A.R.E. Officer Association (now known as the Kansas Juvenile Officers Association). Doug taught his last D.A.R.E. class in the spring of 2019 and continued speaking at D.A.R.E. graduation ceremonies up until the months preceding his death. Doug was a fourth generation member of Salemsborg Lutheran Church where he served as church council president, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and served as the church security contact. He was a good and faithful servant of God and was strengthened by his faith throughout his life. More often than not, Doug could be spotted wearing the color purple and spent many fall Saturdays cheering on his K-State Wildcats traveling to games in Manhattan, on the road, and bowl games. His purple pickup truck is recognizable to all of Lindsborg and he was easy to spot on gameday in his lucky purple camo pants. As a lifelong resident of the Smoky Valley, Doug enjoyed participating in many community events and organizations. He sang in the Bethany Oratorio Society’s annual performances of Handel’s Messiah in which he also served as section secretary and Bach’s Passion, sung with the Smoky Valley Men’s Chorus, and served as president of the Emerald Lake Homeowners Association. He is survived by his wife: Mary Beth of the home; daughter: Lindsay Redmond (Zach) of Kansas City, MO; son: Austin Anderson of Lenexa, KS; sisters: Jane MacDonald (Pat), Sonja Marston (Tiny); grandsons: Cayden and Elijah Redmond; aunt Jeanette Waage of Lindsborg, and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, and his beloved pets. Doug was preceded in death by his parents and his sister: Lynda Anderson. Visitation will be Friday, June 16 from 5-7 p.m. at Crick-Christians Funeral Home, 103 N. Washington, Lindsborg. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 17 at Salemsborg Lutheran Church, 3831 W Salemsborg Rd, Smolan, KS with Pastor Ben Fulton officiating. Burial will be in Salemsborg Lutheran Cemetery following the funeral. Memorial contributions may be made to Salemsborg Lutheran Church, McPherson County Sheriff’s Office D.A.R.E. Program, or McPherson Heart to Heart Child Advocacy Center. Memorials may be sent in care of Crick-Christians Funeral Home, 103 N. Washington, Lindsborg, KS 67456.