Mike was born on July 14, 1936, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Robert L. and Virginia (Twitchell Hatcher) Andersen. He graduated from North High School in Des Moines and went on to major in Agronomy at Iowa State College graduating in 1958 and married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn McIntyre, on June 14th, 1958.

After college, Mike and Carolyn moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota, where Mike began working in the fertilizer business. They then moved on to Spencer, Iowa; Fulda, Minnesota; Worthington, Minnesota; West Des Moines, Iowa; Arlington Heights, Illinois; Burlington, Iowa, and then back to Libertyville, Illinois. Mike retired from IMC in Mundelein, Illinois in 1997.

In 2005, Mike and Carolyn moved to Green Valley, Arizona, to escape the northern winters and enjoy their birding hobby in Arizona and many other places around the globe. They enjoyed many summers in Clear Lake, Iowa as well.

Mike was a former member of the Air National Guard. He belonged to St. Francis-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Green Valley, Arizona, and St. John’s Episcopal Church in Mason City, Iowa. Mike was also a member of the Green Valley Birding Club and the Green Valley Gardner’s Club. Mike was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) at Iowa State University.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Bob Andersen and Virginia Hatcher.

Left to cherish his memory are: Carolyn Andersen, wife of nearly 60 years; children: Kent Andersen, of Dallas, Texas; Janelle (Joe) Carter, of Marshalltown, Iowa. Grandchildren: Michael (Leah) Carter, Des Moines, Iowa; Hanna Carter, Portland, Oregon; Samuel Carter, Ames, Iowa.

Services for Mike will be held on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, at 2:00 PM at St. Francis-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Memorials may be sent to Tucson Audubon Society in Tucson, Arizona, or St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church in Green Valley, Arizona.