Obituary – B. Gene Anderson – Benton

BENTON — B. Gene Anderson, 69, died at 6:40 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at his home with family at his side.

The son of Lannie L. and Esther Galbraith Anderson, Gene was born Oct. 13, 1943, in Benton.

He attended Benton grade schools and then spent his junior high, freshman and sophomore years at DeKalb schools before his family returned to Benton, where Gene completed his junior and senior years at BCHS, graduating in 1961. It was during those DeKalb years that, at age 14, Gene accepted Christ as his personal savior.

In 1964, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Army and served two years in Germany. After returning to civilian life, Gene began working for the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 1987 as a rural letter carrier for Route 1 in Macedonia. Also during that time, he owned Anderson Wholesale in Thompsonville and Anderson Motors in Pittsburg.

In 1980, Gene was diagnosed with renal disease and, on Jan. 31, 1981, he began a 32-year journey of three-days-a-week kidney dialysis. He always looked at dialysis as a job, going three days a week for 32 years without vacation or sick days. He considered his paycheck to be “life.”

Gene was something of a celebrity among kidney dialysis circles in Illinois, being Mount Vernon nephrologist Dr. Steven Zelman’s longest living patient. The staff at Benton DaVeta Dialysis Center nicknamed him “Energizer Bunny.”

He was a loyal Benton Ranger and Rangerette basketball fan who attended most games. When declining health prevented that, he could always be found sitting at home listening to the games, play by play, on the radio. Also, for many years, he served as official scorekeeper for Rangerette basketball games.

Gene was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, National/Illinois Rural Letter Carriers Association, Benton American Legion Post 280 and National/Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Sheila Lewis Anderson; son, Duane Anderson of Centennial, Colo.; daughter, Sherry Kay (Garrett) Collier of Benton; grandchildren, Megan Anderson of Centennial, Colo., and Kameron and Kendra Metzger of Benton; mother, Esther Taylor of Benton; sister, Sandra (Russell) Gant of Benton; brothers-in-law, Al (Glenda) Lewis of St. Paul, Texas, and Evan (Denise) Lewis of Thompsonville; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Lannie Anderson; stepfather, Cecil Taylor; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Harrison and Thelma Lewis.

A celebration of Gene’s life will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton with Pastor Sammy Simmons and Gene’s Sunday School teacher Larry Miller officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church Helping Hands Ministry.

Morton and Johnston Funeral Home in Benton is in charge of arrangements.