Denny Sanford, the La Jolla philanthropist who donated more than a billion dollars to San Diego County institutions, passed away Saturday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was ninety years old at the time of his death. As per a report shared by The San Diego Union-Tribune, T. Denny Sanford had been in declining health for many years, though friends noted his death came while he was still very much active in philanthropy. The self-made banking entrepreneur had told the Union-Tribune back in 2018 that his goal was to
“die broke.”
As per a 2005 South Dakota Supreme Court document shared by Justia, Sanford first met Colleen Anderson in Sioux Falls back in 1987, while she was in town visiting family. She was approximately thirty-six at the time, living in Indianapolis, and had previously spent eleven years as a dental assistant before co-owning a home accessory and gift business.
Denny Sanford, who was fifty-two, had been divorced from his first wife for around five years by then. The two eventually signed a nonmarital partnership agreement in 1990 and, after roughly eight years together, got married. It was Colleen’s first marriage and Denny’s second.
He had two grown children from his prior marriage, while Colleen had none. That being said, the pair did eventually part ways. As per Colleen Anderson Sanford’s obituary, the two remained lifelong friends even after their split. Colleen herself passed away on February 20, 2025.
All about Denny Sanford’s ex-wife:
As per Colleen Anderson Sanford’s obituary, Colleen was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on May 23, 1951, to Lauretta Metzler and Raymond Anderson. Her death came as a shock to those who loved her. She slipped on ice outside her home, suffered a brain bleed, and passed away on February 20, 2025, sending shockwaves through her family and friends.
Colleen’s path to finding her true calling came in 1999, when she returned to Sioux Falls to be by her mother Lauretta’s side during hospice. Something shifted in her during that time. She didn’t just volunteer and leave it at that. She threw herself into studying hospice care, determined to give every patient under her watch the best possible experience. That dedication ended up spanning at least ten years of volunteer service with the Hospice of the Valley in Arizona.
From 2005 through the early 2010s, Colleen split her time between Sioux Falls and Scottsdale, keeping herself busy with golf, hiking, and catching up with friends. A lifelong learner, she also made a habit of attending conferences on subjects that caught her interest. When her macular degeneration worsened, she made Sioux Falls her permanent home. Limited eyesight did little to slow her down, though. She stayed fiercely independent, kept up her routines, and remained deeply social.
Even though Colleen never had children of her own, she poured herself into the lives of her nieces and nephews, taking her role as their aunt seriously. Her obituary captured who she was simply.
“Colleen had the ability to light up any room she entered. She was a beautiful person, inside and out. She loved live music, dancing, going to movies, and happy hour with friends. She had the best heart and a beautiful soul – she was arguably an angel on earth.”
San Diego County reacts to Denny Sanford’s passing with grief and gratitude:
As per the report shared by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Sanford’s death triggered an outpouring of sadness across San Diego County. Pradeep Khosla, chancellor of UC San Diego, was among those who spoke up. The university had received more than $355 million from Sanford over the years.
“Denny Sanford personified the very values of compassion and empathy that he so passionately championed. I have lost a dear friend, and San Diego has lost a true changemaker,” said Khosla.
Back in 2019, Denny Sanford had committed $100 million to UCSD to fund research into compassion and empathy. Before doing so, he sent David Brenner, then vice chancellor of health sciences, to seek the Dalai Lama’s thoughts on the idea.
“He was inspired by the Dalai Lama’s work and wanted him to approve his idea,” Brenner said.
The Dalai Lama, for his part, had something to say back.
“The Dalai Lama asked me if you can measure compassion and empathy. I said I think you can. He said, ‘You can’t study it unless you measure it,'” Brenner recalled.
Edited by Ryan D’souza