Anna D. Bellisari
- Published: August 28, 2026
Anna D. Bellisari passed away peacefully at 86 years of age on Saturday, July 25, 2026, after a long battle with cancer. Born Dec. 8, 1939, in Goettingen, Germany, she immigrated with her family to the U.S. in 1948. She graduated valedictorian of her class at Brookville High School in 1958 and earned a B.A. in Biology at Wittenberg University, graduating magna cum laude. After she raised a family, she graduated from The Ohio State University, where she earned an M.A. (1976) and Ph.D. in anthropology (1984).
Anna joined the faculty at Wright State University in the Department of Anthropology in 1983 and the Department of Community Health at the Lifespan Health Resource Center in 1991. She also served as the director of the University Honors Program (1994–2001), president of the WSU-Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (2006–’09) and as a member of the task force on the Status of Women at WSU, which led to the creation of the now defunct Women’s Center and the B.A. Program in Women’s Studies, among numerous other university committees.
As a professor, Anna shared her strong appreciation of different cultures not only in the classroom, but leading student trips to China and Costa Rica. Her research interest in biomedical anthropology studying health conditions took her to Cuba, Oman, United Arab Emirates and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. She conducted biomedical research at Fels Research Institute, studying human growth and body composition and spent countless hours doing likewise at The OSU Chimp Center in Columbus where she developed a particular fondness for a chimpanzee named “Sheba.” Her book “The Obesity Epidemic in North America: Connecting Biology and Culture” (2011) is used in classrooms nationwide. Before her retirement in 2012, she also received numerous research grants and awards, including the Faculty of the Year Award from the WSU Student Government in 1994–5.
Anna also leaves a significant legacy in Yellow Springs. She served on the Senior Center’s Board of Trustees as secretary (1999–2008), the Glen Helen Board of Trustees (2010–12), the Tree Committee as president (2011), and was a strong advocate for protecting greenspace. Her powerful testimony in support of Agraria emphasizing cultural practices that sustain biodiversity is remembered as making a difference in thinking about agriculture in the community.
Anna was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Erna, and daughter Joyce. She is survived by her daughter Maria (Chris) Matthews; grandchildren, Andy Grinter, Kelly (Kevin) Rooney and Michael Scaglione; great-grandson, Ronan Rooney; brother, Dr. Andreas Walchner; sister, Ricki (Jess) Blair; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial was held Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, at the Maeder-Quint-Tiberi Funeral Home in Columbus. Donations in her honor may be made to Partners in Health or Chimp Haven (for Sheba), 13600 Chimpanzee Pl., Keithville, LA 71047. To view and sign the online register, visit MaederQuintTiberi.com.
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