John Arthur Anderson
John A. Anderson (age 65) of Salt Lake, Utah, beloved husband of Maria, father to Hannah, son to Lynn and Bernice, brother to Bob, uncle to Carly and Ashley, great uncle to Anderson and Arthur, and cherished friend to more people than we could possibly count, passed away unexpectedly on June 29, 2020. Born on July 15, 1954, John graduated from Olympus High School in 1972 with multiple honors, including the distinction of being State extemporaneous speaking champion. He attended the University of Utah, graduating in May 1976 magna cum laude and as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. John attended the University of Virginia School of Law where he achieved a distinguished academic record and, as importantly to John, was the captain of multiple championship softball teams.
After graduation in May 1981, John began practicing law in San Francisco before returning to Salt Lake. For most of his later career, John was a litigation partner with Stoel Rives LLP. His many professional honors and awards included being named by Best Lawyersas Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year,” Salt Lake City, 2013 and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year,” Salt Lake City, 2014; being included in The Best Lawyers in Americafrom 2007–2020; being selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Utah) by Chambers USAfrom 2009–2020; and being listed inMountain States Super Lawyers, from 2007–2017 and 2019. John served the Salt Lake City community in different positions, including as Chairman of the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics Board of Trustees, a member of the University of Utah Young Alumni Association Board and as a winning Little League coach.
A lifelong athlete himself, John was almost as good as he thought he was in a variety of sports. His greatest athletic passions included softball when he was younger and golf when he was older. He was a University of Utah sports fan(atic) all his life and Virginia sports fan(atic) the last forty-plus years. John, along with Maria and Hannah, loved dogs and rescued enough over the years to start a good sized kennel. Beyond these many professional, educational and personal accomplishments, John will be remembered for his integrity, his dedication to principle and his commitment to excellence. But John will be most remembered for setting a standard for friendship that few of us can ever match. John was the person you went to when you wanted to laugh, when you needed to cry and when you were facing a crisis. John was the person you called when you needed courage by your side and strength at your back. John was the person who was there when no one else was raising their hand to help. In everything, John, you made Lynn and Bernice as proud as any two parents could ever be. We all love you, John, and we will miss you terribly.
At this time, the family will be having a private service and internment. A memorial service to celebrate John’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to The Humane Society of Utah.