The Rev. Douglas Earl Anders, a retired Conference minister in the United Church of Christ, died March 22 in hospice for cancer care at his home in Bel-Nor, Missouri. He was 68.

Douglas was born in St. Louis, Missouri on February 16, 1953. He was preceded in death by his father the late Albert Earl Anders. He is survived by his mother, Fumiko Anders, and his siblings, Joseph Anders (Leanne), Susan Petruso (Frank), John Anders (Nancy), and Michael Anders. Doug was an uncle and great uncle and left many other relatives & friends.

Douglas graduated from Normandy High School in 1971 and then focused on accounting as a student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1975. He enrolled at Eden Theological Seminary in 1976. There he did field work at a nursing home and a mental hospital and as a student pastor at First Congregational UCC, Clayton, Missouri, and Faith-Salem UCC, Jennings, Missouri. In 1980 he received his Master of Divinity and was ordained to the ministry in the United Church of Christ. Following his service in the United Church of Christ, Eden Theological Seminary granted Douglas an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 2015.

Most of Douglas’s career was served at local United Church of Christ congregations.

• United Church of Christ, Midland, Michigan, as associate pastor from 1980 to 1983.
• First Congregational UCC, Marseilles, Illinois, as pastor from 1983 to 1990.
• Calvary UCC, St. Louis, Missouri as pastor from 1990 to 2006.

After Doug’s work with local congregations he then became a Conference Minister in South Central Conference from 2007 to 2015. He then provided oversight to 70 United Church of Christ congregations, six UCC new church starts and over 150 members of the clergy. The Conference includes churches and ministries in Texas, Louisiana, and Biloxi, Mississippi.

After his formal retirement in 2015 Douglas stayed active in ministry by continuing to serve the United Church of Christ.

• The UCC’s Illinois South Conference, as acting Conference minister in 2015 and 2016.
• Zoar UCC, New Hanover, Ill., as summer sabbatical pastor in 2017.
• Concordia UCC, Belleville, Ill, as interim minister in 2017 and 2018.
• The Missouri Mid-South Conference as staff liaison to its Committee on the Ministry from 2017 to 2019.

Douglas served for two years on the Board of Alderman for his town of Bel-Nor, Missouri. Elected in 2018, he gave leadership to an annual citywide yard sale, the formation of a Neighborhood Watch program and distribution of recycling information. He also served on the city’s Human Rights Commission.

Doug was active at Kirkwood UCC, where he became a member in 2016 and was on the boards of directors of the:

• Kiwanis Club of Normandy, where he served as president and vice president.
• Deaconess Nurse Ministry, including a term as vice chair of its board.

Due to Covid19 restrictions a memorial service will ONLY be held ONLINE, VIA ZOOM, on Saturday, April 10, at 10 a.m. CDT at the Kirkwood United Church of Christ. Those who would like to attend can use this link.

The Anders family suggests that gifts in Douglas Anders’ memory may be made to these organizations.

• Habitat for Humanity, St. Louis, 3830 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63118, designated “United Church of Christ congregations Habitat Houses”
• Deaconess Nurse Ministry, 3159 Fee Fee Rd., Suite 225, St. Louis, MO 63044, designated “Ongoing work of DNM”
• United Church of Christ Child Sponsorship Program, 700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115, designated “Family Village Farm in Katpadi, India”
• Eden Theological Seminary, 475 E. Lockwood Ave., St. Louis, MO 63119, designated “Annual Fund”

Douglas loved God, God’s people and the United Church of Christ.