Francis “Nels” Anderson, 85, a native of Sterling, Illinois and longtime resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away Thursday, January 9, 2025 at his home. He was Professor of Theatre Arts at LSU and loved working with the students in helping them to be come the artist they dreamed of. There will be a Celebration of Life for him Sunday, January 19. The venue is to be determined. Please check back for an update of service information.
2 comments
Steve Smith
January 13, 2025 at 3:26 pm
I met Nels Anderson when we both served on the faculty of The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago in the 1970’s and 80’s. For a while we were roommates – me, an actor, playwright, teacher and circus clown…he, a brilliant scenic designer, teacher and all around theatre guru. When I moved in with Nels it was like moving into a dream from Architectural Digest – his sense of style, decor, and flow all added up to one thing…class. I brought nothing to contribute to the world he created except a sense of awe. What wonderful times we had in that creative cocoon. As a teacher he had the ability to draw out talent from within his students much to their surprise; as a scenic designer he was outrageously gifted, totally capturing the essence of the environment called for in the script; as a man, he gave from his heart, always taking his work seriously but never himself. Oh how we laughed. Oh how I’ll miss him. But how lucky was I to get to know Francis Nels Anderson?
“And all who know this life, know it too briefly,
And all who leave this life, leave it too soon.”
RIP Nels,
peace, light & love,
~ steve ~
Jeanine Morick
January 13, 2025 at 12:29 pm
I met Nels Anderson in Sterling, Illinois in 1971. He was the head of the theater department at Sauk Valley Junior College. To say that his influence changed the trajectory of my life is an understatement. I enrolled at Sauk Valley Community College in the Laboratory Medicine Program, but also took theater classes from Nels. He saw something special in me and encouraged me to audition for some of his productions, and ultimately, the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago. He not only cast me in leading roles in his plays and musicals, but introduced me to a world of creativity and gave me the courage to pursue my path in the Arts. He was the consummate artist and teacher. He loved what he did with every breath and shared that love with everyone he knew. I pursued acting and attribute any of my success to the confidence he had in my “light” and his never-ending support. I’m sure I’m not alone. Rest in Peace Nels. You will be missed, but your spirit and your legacy will be celebrated forever.