Robert M. Anderson, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of the Department of Learning Health Sciences at the University of Michigan and an internationally respected expert in the field of diabetes care and education, died on Friday, July 28, at the age of 77 after a long illness. Bob leaves behind his beloved wife of 45 years, Susan, and his stepsons Donald Harrod and Timothy Harrod. He also is survived by sister Kathy Mullen, her husband Robert Mullen, and beloved nieces and nephews.

Bob is also greatly missed by his dog, Flossie, although his cherished dogs Phoebe, Shortie and Shaggy have no doubt met him in Heaven.

Bob began his career in diabetes education in the Public Health Department in Maine, followed by the Diabetes Research and Training Center at the University of Virginia. He joined the University of Michigan Medical School faculty in 1987, where he remained until his retirement in 2013. A prolific scholar and mentor, he spent much of his career creating and implementing culturally appropriate diabetes education programs in diverse communities. Because of his strong belief in a person-centered approach to health carehis research and promotion of the patient empowerment concept revolutionized diabetes education and care.

Bob also served as U-M’s Associate Director of the Intervention and Technology Research Core of the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center (MDRTC) and on Leadership Team Community Engagement Research Core Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR). He was funded throughout his career by the National Institutes of Health, and he held leadership positions with many national and international professional organizations.

A widely respected and sought-out speaker in his areas of expertise, Bob travelled extensively, delivering lectures and workshop presentations in more than 30 countries. He collaborated with colleagues in the United Kingdom and Mexico to incorporate the empowerment approach into diabetes care and education in those countries. He was also regarded as a warm and gracious host to the many visiting colleagues he and Susan welcomed to their home over the decades.

In 2015, The American Diabetes Association presented Bob with the Richard R. Rubin Award in recognition of outstanding and innovative contributions to the study and understanding of behavioral aspects of diabetes. In 2016, he was the named the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the culmination of the many honors and awards recognizing his achievements throughout his stellar career.

Bob’s vocation bloomed from an inauspicious background. He described this path when he delivered the Richard R. Rubin Award Lecture "How My Hatred of School Led to a Passionate Commitment to Patient Empowerment.” He was born in 1945 and grew up in Dorchester, MA.

Bob worked his way through college. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Boston State College in 1971, his Masters in Education degree from University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1975, and his Doctorate in Education from University of Massachusetts in 1978.

Bob met Susan when they both worked at a crisis hotline in Falmouth, MA. They were married in 1978. Bob called Susan the love of his life, and he often affectionately reminded her: “I wicked love you.” They moved to Michigan in 1987. They lived in Chelsea, MI and Dexter, MI.

Bob’s keen intellect combined with his humanistic world view led him to pursue a variety of other interests at which he excelled. He was an accomplished photographer with a creative eye adept at capturing the beauty of nature. He wrote short essays, many published in a small literary journal.

Those who knew Bob understood his unique and wonderful sense of humor and came to expect frequent, quirky and often irreverent displays. He was an ardent individualist who wore bolo ties to meet the dress code when men’s ties were expected. He proclaimed his pierced ear “represented tenure.” He was a master of the practical joke.

Bob embraced Zen Buddhism as his spiritual center. His remains will be interred in the Furnace Mountain Zen Temple grounds at Furnace Mountain, Kentucky, which was founded by Bob’s dear friend of many years Zen Master Dae Gak.

Bob was respected and adored by those close to him. Many, many others across the world have been impacted by his work—these he described as kindred spirits. He will live on in our hearts and minds, remembered not only for his many achievements, but also for his compassion, his generosity, and his gentle nature. He was well loved and will be greatly missed.