Andersen, Richard Ethan was born on Epiphany, January 6, 1946, in Carroll, Iowa, son of Johannes Andersen and Beata Magnussen Andersen. He passed away at the height of his career on June 2, 2019, in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 73. He grew up in the Minnesota towns of Geneva, Sleepy Eye and Hutchinson, graduating from high school in the latter in 1964. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966-1970, including a year in Vietnam. He received a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1975 and an MDiv from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. He help found and build ARC Retreat Community in Stanchfield, Minnesota; managed several large Minneapolis restaurants; built a dynamic practice at Thrivent Financial; served as an ordained ELCA pastor in Minnesota churches, and served as Director of Congregational Relations for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. He accepted his final call to move with his life partner to Carefree, Arizona, to serve as Executive Director of Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in 2015. Richard is survived by his spouse, Patrick Burns, whom he married on July 11, 2018. Also surviving him are his sisters Judith (Kay Larsen) Andersen of Edina, Minnesota, and Jo Ellen (Gary) Felix of Concord, California; his brother, Robert (Patricia) Andersen of Avon, Illinois, and his nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held in Scottsdale on June 21 at Ascension Lutheran Church at 3 pm and in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Aug. 3 at Central Lutheran Church at 11 am Donations to either Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center or Lutheran Social Service are suggested.