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Visitation:
9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday, February 8th at
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln
Service:
11:30 a.m. Thursday continued by Masonic Services
also at the funeral home.
Funeral home:
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln
Obituary
Charles W. Anderson Jr., 95, formerly
of Lincoln passed away at 10:55 a.m. on February 3,
2018 at Martin Health Center in Bloomington.
Charles was born on February 4, 1922 in Lincoln, son
of Charles W. and Emma (Schwantz) Anderson Sr. He
married Mary Jane Gayle on July 22, 1945 in Lincoln.
She preceded him in death on February 5, 2015.
Charles is survived by two daughters: Virginia Gayle
Johnson, wife of Kenneth who reside in Sterling, and
Susan Elizabeth Anderson, wife of Carl Bennett who
reside in Bloomington. He has six grandchildren:
Darren Johnson (Meredith), Kathryn Stroyan, Emily
Bozek (Joseph), Peter Stroyan (Jennifer), Teri
Johnson, and David Bennett. Charles is survived by
eight great-grandchildren: Alikah Marshall, Aiden
and Piper Stroyan, Alexander and Jackson Johnson,
Travis Campbell, William and Teddy Bozek.
Charles was on the board of American Red Cross of
Logan County for 17 years, with 15 years being the
Chairman. During the time the chapter grew from
blood bank only to a full activities chapter; which
means an office with paid staff members, detail
disaster plans, first aid and CPR classes. Other
programs that were established: Fire and Tornado
Relief and Chemical and hazardous Materials Handling
procedures. Charles personally trained guards for
first aid and CPR when the prison opened and has
personally been an active blood donor, providing 12
gallons of blood over the 17 years. His chapter had
received an award for being one of the top chapters
in the country. He received the Clara Barton Medal
for service of only 2 persons in Logan County to
receive the award in the history of the chapter.
Charles was a member of the First United Methodist
Church in Lincoln where he served as Superintendent
of Sunday School, provided guidance to remodel
classrooms to be more functional and efficient. He
worked with the church youth by raising money for
turkey dinners to the community, served as a lay
pastor for area churches when their ministers were
on vacations, and served as Trustee of Church Board.
He also served on the Lincoln Elementary School
Board for 9 years, a number of those years as
President. More recently he has been a member of
Wesley United Methodist Church in Bloomington.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the family of Charles W.
Anderson Jr. |
Charles joined the Masonic Lodge in 1942 and
became a Master Mason in 1976. He started the Lincoln
Masonic Foundation with $1,100. It has since grown over
$60,000. He was also a member of the Knights of the Cross of
Honor, and is a 32nd Degree Mason. In 2015 he received the
70 year member award.
In the community Charles worked as a postman, a union leader
until he became supervisor. He led and assisted in fund
raising drives to improve the community, including United
Way and even the funds in 1954 to help establish the Abraham
Lincoln Memorial Hospital. He was the Lincoln Courier
Citizen of the year in 2003.
Charles enlisted in the Army Air Corps in
1940 where he trained as a flight engineer. He was a member
of the 15th Air Corps and flew in a B-24 Heavy Bomber from a
base in Italy. On his 8th mission in August of 1944, his
plane was shot down, and he helped a number of his crewmates
prepare and proceed to parachute out. They landed in
occupied area and were they were captured and became POWS.
Sometime through the experience his left leg was wounded. He
was awarded two Purple Heart Medals.
Visitation for Charles will be from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Thursday
February 8, 2018 at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in
Lincoln, IL with Rev. John Richmond officiating. A memorial
service will be held at 11:30 a.m. continued by Masonic
Services also at the funeral home. Burial at New Union
Cemetery will follow, where full military rites will be
accorded by American Legion Post#263.
Memorials may be made in Charles name to the Lincoln Masonic
Foundation INC or St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital in
Memphis, TN. |
