It is with profound sadness that we announce that Teacher Kris Anderson passed away on June 25, 2025, at home surrounded by her family. We are absolutely heartbroken and will deeply miss the presence of this mom of three, teacher and mentor to thousands and dear friend to so many.
In 2012, Kris was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. For 13 years, she underwent extensive treatment: numerous surgeries including a living-donor liver transplant from her daughter Lauren and hundreds of rounds of both chemotherapy and radiation. In early 2025, her doctors determined that treatment options were no longer effective, and in March, she entered Evergreen Hospice care.
From the very beginning, Kris faced her diagnosis with determination and grit, buying her priceless years with her family. She saw her children reach adulthood. She watched both her daughters, Lauren and Sarah, get married and buy their first homes. She saw her son Ryan, who was in middle school when Kris started cancer treatment, graduate from college and begin his career.
These precious years also allowed Kris to see her beloved LWTG evolve into a highly effective parenting education program that will live on in lasting tribute to her. This included securing a suitable new TG site and relocating in 2021, providing long-term stability for the program.
In April 2025, Kris and her family enjoyed a sunny week on Camano Island.
kindness for toddlers & caregivers
Kris was equally kind and patient with the parents and toddlers in her class. Every week, she greeted caregivers and children by name and checked in with each grownup to see how their week had been. She genuinely wanted to hear about your personal successes and struggles. She leaned into what makes toddlers tick. Offering hugs and stamping hands, tummies, or feet as they left class each week. Creating journals for caregivers to use in class to capture moments and milestones, because Kris knew better than anyone that the days seemed long, but the years were short.
She created special time and space for families with a Toddler Group calendar filled with events for the whole family. These events became some families’ first rhythms: annual hikes, puppet shows, dance parties and pumpkin patch outings. First-time parents with their toddler one year would return year after year with little siblings – enjoying cherished Toddler Group traditions.
Kris did not want to miss out on the pure joy she got from teaching - going so far as to schedule her surgeries during school breaks and book radiation and chemo treatments after class on Thursday, giving her the weekend to feel better and be back at school for her Tuesday classes.
Kris’ love of toddlers spilled over to her personal life, too. She nannied two kiddos for years and entertained drop-by visits with toy bins in her living room. She hosted summer play dates at her home. And in her final days, requested the door be left open so she could hear the sound of visiting children playing in her backyard.
thoughtful & concise parenting advice for caregivers
Kris’ steady approach to parenting made a huge impact on hundreds - maybe even thousands, of families - blending best practices with practicality and encouraging caregivers to be just a tiny bit better.
Kris listened intently and shared from a place of knowledge, experience and kindness. Whether she was casually dropping a small tip, offering a piece of helpful advice during class, or serving up a massive dose of reality, you could count on Kris to always be toddler focused and toddler-parent focused. Kris generously supported adults on their parenting journey and made them better and more confident caregivers – something that has had and will continue to have a lasting impact on Eastside families.
There are thousands of examples of Kris’ guiding style, here’s just one: A mom with a newborn in her arms struggled to get her very uncooperative two-year-old up the stairs and into bed, resorting to desperate threats like, “If you don’t go up the stairs, I’m going to throw all your toys away!” At Toddler Group the next week, Kris calmly offered this perfect-pitch advice to the anxious mom, “Next time, just put the baby down.”
Her immense passion for Toddler Group shined through with the energy and intention she brought to every class, parent ed topic, community event, and board meeting. One mom put it this way, “You were my children’s first teacher, and the warmth, care and guidance you gave helped shape their love of learning (and bubbles).”
commitment to the parenting ed community
Kris cared about toddlers and their families so much that she also served the parent ed community at both the Eastside and Washington state levels.
She was advisor, guide and mentor to dozens of parenting educators during her time as Program Coordinator of LWTech’s Parent Cooperative Education Program. In support of the program’s five Eastside sister schools, Kris advocated to the college dean for important program enhancements, conducted board of director trainings, interpreted complex information for board treasurers, messaged complicated hiring processes to new hires and implemented shifting state health department codes during the pandemic.
In addition, Kris acted as the Board President of the Washington State Organization of Parenting Education Programs (OPEP) for many years. She applied her straightforward leadership style to this role: problem solving and facilitating this large group on behalf of parents and caregivers across the state.
In September 2024 Kris marked her 25th LWTG Anniversary with current & former co-workers & families.