Thursday, March 28, 2024

William “Bill” Anderson – Obituary

Anderson obitWilliam Oscar “Bill” Anderson, 85, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, passed away March, March 7, 2016, at his home. A visitation was held on March 10, 2016, at the Olson-Powell Memorial hapel in Mt. Pleasant. Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. on March 11th at the Memorial Chapel with Rev. Deborah Stowers of the First Methodist Church, Mt. Pleasant, officiating. Interment was in Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant.

Born March 31, 1930 in Goreville, IL., Bill was the son of Homer and Velma (Sullivan) Anderson. He attended one room country grade schools in Johnson County, Illinois, and graduated from Taylor Grade School.

Bill grew up in Johnson County. He was a caring and loving son and a great big brother to his three sisters. As kids he and his sisters enjoyed attending movies at the Grand Theater in Vienna on Saturday while their parents visited friends on the square and grocery shopped. As a teenager he worked picking apples and peaches at the local orchards in order to have money for dating and running around with his friends. Bill and his sister, Delores, loved hanging out with their friends at the Little House in Vienna where they bought ten cent hamburgers and cokes and danced on the small dance floor to popular tunes from the juke box. Bill and Delores attended Taylor Methodist Church, walking over a mile to church with their friends to attend the youth fellowship called “League.” It was there at a revival thatboth he and his sister accepted Jesus Christ as their savior and Lord. Bill’s father, Homer, loved the outdoors and instilled in Bill at a young age a passion for hunting, trapping and fishing. They both loved collecting and shooting firearms.

In his early 20’s Billmoved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, to find work. It was there that he met the love of his life. On September 7, 1957 he married Esther Irene Eicher in Davenport, IA.

For nearly 40 years, Bill worked at the Mental Health Institute in Mt. Pleasant, at first on the wards, and later as a cook in the Dietary Department. He was a loving dad and grandpa who enthusiastically followed his granddaughters in their activities. He was a great cook and enjoyed family trips to Yellowstone and North Carolina. He enjoyed attending the annual Mt. Pleasant Old Threshers Reunion. With his passion for the outdoors, Bill continued to hunt and fish with his son-in-law as long as his health permitted. One season he bagged the largest turkey taken in the state of Iowa that year (over 30 pounds). He had a fishing cabin on the Skunk River in Henry County where he spent many enjoyable hours with family and friends. After retiring, he and Esther bought a farm in the country where they had a large vegetable garden, flower gardens, and an apple orchard. He provided his sisters with bushels of apples each year. Bill was a member of Mt. Pleasant Masonic Lodge #8 and attended the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant.

Survivors include his wife, Esther of Mt. Pleasant, IA; a daughter, Karol (Wes) Shaffer of Mt. Pleasant, IA; two granddaughters, Laura and Kristen Shaffer both of Des Moines, IA; three sisters, Delores Taylor of Austin, TX, Delonda (Lewis) Robinson of Goreville, IL, and Janet (Jerry) Billingsley of Buncombe, IL; four nephews, Ken Taylor of Thorndale, TX, Steve Taylor of Austin, TX, James (Audrey) Robinson of Marion, IL, and Jason Billingsley of St. Louis, MO; a great-nephew, William “Will” Robinson of Marion, IL (who was named for Bill); a great-niece, Chisolm (Bill) Cardwell of Georgetown, TX; and a great-great niece, Lena Cardwell of Georgetown, TX; and three first cousins, Verna Mae Billingsley, Lloyd (Jr.) Craig, and Jerry Sullivan, all of Goreville.

Preceding him in death were his parents; a brother-in-law, Gene Taylor; and 29 first cousins, including three double-cousins.

May God grant eternal rest to William “Bill” Anderson and consolation to his family.