Kellie Sue Anderson

PITTSFORD, NY – Kellie Sue Anderson, 58, left us peacefully, though reluctantly, on October 18, 2024, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Kellie is predeceased by her mother, Faith Carlson, and mother-in-law, Henrietta “Sue” Anderson. She is survived by her father, Larry Carlson, husband, Glenn, beloved son and daughter-in-law, Zachary and Katarina, sisters-in-law, Elaine Anderson and Christine Szymarek, brother-in-law, Ralph Anderson, his wife Maureen and their children Ciara and Colin, father-in-law, Roy Anderson, and great uncle and aunt Rodney Dye and Sherrilyn J. Van Dyke.

Born on May 21, 1966, to Faith and Larry Carlson of Perrysburg, NY, Kellie’s first sentence was “I can do it!” Indeed, that endurance was the overarching theme of her life, as Kellie learned to bale hay and milk cows at neighboring farms; rode horses, motorcycles, bikes, and snowmobiles; managed her high school football team, and earned honors as Salutatorian at Gowanda Central High School.

Kellie took that drive and ambition on to Allegheny College, in Pennsylvania—where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Cum Laude—and to the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her Master’s degree in Public Health, while working full time.

Always up for a challenge, Kellie spent her life conquering one after another. From canoeing the Potomac River and camping overnight under the stars, to hiking the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire, to whitewater rafting on the Youghiogheny, Gauley, and New Rivers, Kellie did it with flair, if not always grace.

The best adventures of her life were experienced with her husband of 30 years, Glenn, and their beloved son, Zack. When Glenn proposed, it was after a beautiful hike to Lake Solitude, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Zack, no slouch himself, did the Rachel Carson Challenge with Kellie when she turned 50. A sunrise to sunset hike on nearly the entire rugged trail, the “challenge” is not to win, but to endure and finish the hike in one day. The grueling hike took them up and down 37 miles of Pittsburgh’s hilly terrain in the heat and humidity of the longest day of the year. Kellie bested the hills in 20 hours  (though she lost a few toenails in the process).

It was Kellie’s great pleasure and joy to bake cookies, muffins, brownies, and other treats for her guys (especially chocolate chip cookies for her “Pa,” Larry) as well as fantastic meals—she was a gifted and dedicated amateur chef. She was a thoughtful and voracious reader not just of cookbooks (with a collection in the hundreds at one point), but of non-fiction and fiction of all types. She loved attending the theater, especially the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and was as eclectic in her musical taste as in everything else, from Billy Joel, the Eagles, and the Branford Marsalis Quartet, to the Indigo Girls, Rod Stewart, Jason Aldean, and Boz Scaggs.

When Zack spent 6 weeks of his summer working on a fishing boat in Alaska, Kellie and Glenn met him afterward for two weeks of adventure. Kellie joined him for a hike through Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, where they narrowly avoided a bear. After his marriage to Katarina Bishop, the whole family enjoyed still more adventures while visiting Portugal and then Scotland in 2024.

Kellie was equally driven to excel in her professional life. A dedicated leader and empathetic mentor, Kellie dedicated her 25 year career to institutional advancement, having worked at West Penn Allegheny Health System, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Rochester. Most recently, Kellie led her advancement team at the University of Rochester Medical Center to exceed their development goals every single year, despite undergoing a radical mastectomy her first year there and fighting metastatic breast cancer the entire time.

Since Kellie inherited her mother’s love of animals of all kinds, her home with Glenn and Zack was always graced by cats and dogs. They provided 30 years of treasured companionship, with the latest, Jack the cat and Charlie the super mutt, being of great comfort to her, and to her family as they cared for her in the finale of her life.

Kellie never feared death—the greatest adventure of all—for she felt her beloved mother, Faith, was present and waiting for her. She found the most compelling spiritual peace outdoors in the beauty of nature, with the woods of Western New York and the coast of Maine bringing her particular comfort. She was always ready to share that peace with others. She was the best possible friend, daughter, wife, and mother, ceaselessly caring for others before herself and bringing joy to all who knew her.

Celebrations of her life will be held in Rochester, NY and Pittsburgh, PA in May 2025.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the URMC Wilmot Cancer Institute or the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.