Wendell Roy Anderson was born in Joliet, Illinois, the only child of Roy and Evelyn Anderson. He attended his parents’ church, Bethel Baptist, where he prayed to receive Christ as his Savior and Lord at age eleven and was baptized. Following high school, he graduated from Bethel College, St. Paul, MN, in 1953, and Fuller Theological Seminary with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1956, and a Masters in New Testament Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.
On May 26, 1962, he married Nancy L. Maine. Two children, Dawn Renee and Scott Roy, were born to them. In 1964 they were commissioned to serve as missionaries in the Philippines under the Baptist General Conference. There they both taught at the Baptist Theological College in Cebu, where Wendell also served as academic dean and Nancy as school nurse.
Following missionary service, Wendell pastored a church in Lakeside, WI, from 1978 until 1981, taught biblical studies at Bethel College from 1981 until 1984. He then served with the Christian Guidance Department of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Minneapolis for 12 years.
In 2006, Wendell and Nancy moved to Fort Mill, SC., giving him the opportunity to serve as a volunteer at the Billy Graham Library and the TV Telephone Ministry, plus with Nancy in the prayer department at the SIM USA office of SIM – an international Christian mission.
In 2019 Wendell and Nancy moved to Westminster Towers where he remained active, leading a small men’s group, playing his trombone for services and other events, and writing occasional articles for the Tower’s monthly magazine.
Wendell lived with great thankfulness to God for his family and the many opportunities over the years to serve Christ and his kingdom. He identified with the words of the Apostle Paul, “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24, RSV).
There will be a memorial service on Monday, March 21, 2026 at 2 PM at Westminster Towers, 1330 India Hook Road, Rock Hill, SC, 29732. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Wendell Anderson’s name to Samaritan’s Purse at https://www.samaritanspurse.org
Condolences may be made at greenefuneralhome.net.