Joshua Rowland Andersen's Obituary
Joshua Rowland Andersen, born June 20, 1971, passed away in April 2026 in Orem, Utah, having lived a life defined by creativity, curiosity, and deep empathy.
Josh was the second of eight brothers, which was a role he cherished. Josh loved growing up on a farm surrounded by brothers and cousins and enjoyed sharing stories of early farm life shenanigans that involved fireworks, fruit fights, and other misadventures.
Josh charted his own path early in life. He was the first among his brothers to move from his home state of Utah. After graduating from Mountain View High School, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he trained as a corpsman and served in San Diego and Long Beach. After briefly attending BYU, he served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
While he held space for himself, he also loved to empathize and show care for others. When looking through old family photos, it was remarkable in how many photos Josh was holding someone. He loved being a brother and an uncle and spending time with his nieces and nephews.
Josh was a dreamer. He found joy in fantasy and science fiction, immersing himself in imaginative worlds through books, films, and his own art. This sense of wonder carried into his work as a creator. A gifted artist, he worked as an environment artist contributing to the visual worlds of major video game titles produced by studios such as Warner Brothers, Sony, and Microsoft. Beyond his professional work, he would frequently create his own drawings and paintings. His most prized works were a series of star paintings that he made for each of his siblings. He lived and worked in San Diego and Seattle where he loved to host family members when they would come to visit.
Josh loved music. He played the banjo in the family bluegrass band, which was a talent that he carried with him everywhere he lived. He had a deep appreciation for a wide range of musical styles. Whether listening, playing, or introducing others to something new, music was one of the ways he wanted to connect with people.
More than anything, Josh loved to share. Whether playing a tune on the banjo, showing a new drawing or sketch, introducing a new band or book, teaching kids to paint, sharing excitement for a new technology, or gathering people around a campfire, he found genuine joy in sharing with others. Even when facing chronic pain and personal challenges, he continued to light up at the opportunity to share something new that he loved. His tender heart and gentle presence will be deeply missed.
Josh is survived by his father Hans Andersen Jr.; his seven brothers: Hans III (Janice), Ben (Kelly), Joseph (Jessica), Claude, Gabriel (Amber), John-Paul (Roxanna), and Matthew (Ashley); 19 nieces and nephews, and aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends that he loved and cherished. Josh was welcomed to his heavenly home by his mother, Gloria Rowland Andersen.
A memorial service will be held for Josh on July 23, 2026 in Orem, Utah.
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