Ted Forrest Anderson, age 53, Andale, passed away of an apparent heart attack at his home on Thursday, January 27, 2022. He had just returned home after coaching the Andale High School girls’ basketball team to a win in the opening round of the Haven High School Wildcat Classic Tournament and was preparing his scouting report on the next day’s game.
Ted was born Nov. 15, 1968, in Kansas City, the older of two sons born to Chris and Marilyn Anderson. He spent his early years in Basehor, Kansas, where he was involved in 4-H, football, basketball, and golf. He graduated from Basehor High School in 1987.
After high school, Ted attended Pittsburg State University where he played on the golf team. During his time at Pitt State, he also began his 30-year coaching journey at Southeast High School in Cherokee, where he coached freshman boys’ basketball for two years. He was awarded his bachelor’s degree in teaching at Pitt State in 1992.
Two weeks later, on June 6, 1992, Ted married his high school sweetheart, Tracy Trowbridge, and together they established their home in Valley Center, where their son Jordan and daughter Jacy were born. Ted was a middle school language arts teacher, assistant varsity football coach, and head varsity girls’ basketball coach in Valley Center. During this time he also completed his master’s degree from Friends University.
In 2009 the family moved to Andale. That same year daughter Jillian joined the family. Once again Ted taught language arts in the middle school focusing on reading skills. At Andale High School he was the freshman boys’ basketball coach, assistant track coach, assistant varsity football coach, and girls’ varsity basketball coach.
Ted was preceded in death by his grandparents, S.E. and Dorothy (Astel) Anderson and John and Amelia (Theilmann) Bondurant. He is survived by his wife Tracy and their three children: Jordan Anderson of Lenexa, Kansas, and Jacy and Jillian Anderson of Andale; his parents Chris and Marilyn (Bondurant) Anderson of Basehor; his brother Bret (Jessica) Anderson of Platte City, Missouri; and in-laws, Jim and Sandy Trowbridge of Tonganoxie; as well as extended family members, friends, former students, and athletes from the teams that he coached.
Ted was an avid reader of all types of literature and was a history buff. He was known as the king of worthless sports trivia facts. He was a big Star Wars fan. He loved to have conversations with whoever came along. On travels, he made it a point to wear a hat or shirt that would serve as a conversation starter. His greatest loves were his wife, his children, golf, and basketball.
A memorial service will be held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 7901 W. 21st Street, Wichita, 67205, on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 11:01 a.m. A livestream will also be available at this link - https://vimeo.com/672097200/6dfaa44806 In addition, a celebration of life will be held in June at the Andale High School gym.
One thing about Ted Anderson was his undeniable school spirit. We ask that everyone wear casual dress in their school colors, whether that be black, gold, purple, green, red, orange, blue or whatever color to either of these events, as it is what he would have wanted.