Jeanette Trøstrup Andersen — a familiar face in downtown Menlo Park – dies at 59

Editor’s note: On this International Women’s Day, we are taking a look at the life of Jeanette Trøstrup Andersen, a face familiar to many while living on the streets of Menlo Park. The information was provided by a family member.

For many years, a woman known as Amanda Tyler or Amanda Anderson was a familiar presence along Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Menlo Park, often seen with her shopping carts and belongings.

Her real name was Jeanette Trøstrup Andersen. She died in San Mateo County in June 2025 at age 59, the result of an accidental fall.

She was born in Denmark in 1966 and grew up in the town of Struer on the west coast of Jutland. She came from a Danish family and was the mother of two children who live in Denmark today.

Like many lives, Jeanette’s journey took unexpected turns. Over time it carried her far from where it began, eventually bringing her to California and to Menlo Park, where she would spend many years.

In downtown Menlo Park she became a familiar figure in everyday community life. Residents, shop owners and outreach workers encountered her regularly along Santa Cruz Avenue, where she was often seen with several shopping carts carrying her belongings.

Jeanette experienced long periods of hardship and lived much of her life on the margins of society. Yet those who spent time speaking with her often saw beyond those circumstances. They met a person with a past, a family and a life story that stretched far beyond the streets where she was often seen.

For many people in the community she became a familiar face in the daily life of the city — someone they would pass on their way to work, to a shop, or while walking through downtown.

Outreach workers in the city spoke with her frequently and tried over time to help her connect with services and housing. Building trust took patience, and their efforts continued over many years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic she accepted temporary indoor shelter through a local program. Later she moved into a small subsidized housing unit in Menlo Park, where she spent the final years of her life.

For more than two decades her family in Denmark did not know what had become of her. Only after her passing was her identity confirmed through DNA analysis in early 2026, finally bringing long-awaited answers to her relatives.

Her earthly remains will be returned to Denmark in the coming weeks, where she will be laid to rest at a cemetery (pictured top) near her son’s home.

Her family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office, the funeral home, the social workers, and the housing management staff who assisted after her passing. Their professionalism, kindness and care meant a great deal to the family.

Jeanette is remembered by her two children and extended family in Denmark, and by many in Menlo Park who encountered her over the years and treated her with kindness and humanity. For those who frequented the streets of downtown Menlo Park, she was — for a long time — a familiar part of the life of the city.