Mr. Willie C. Anderson, Jr.

Obituary Willie Calvin (W.C.) Anderson, Jr. was born on October 26, 1921, in Idabel, Oklahoma; one of eleven children born to the late Reverend Willie Calvin Anderson and Sylvia Petty Anderson. He was called home on March 31, 2022, at The Redwood of Blue River Rehabilitation Center, at the age of 100 years old. When Willie was young the family moved from Oklahoma to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he was educated. After his older brother James married and joined the U.S. Army, Willie took on the major responsibilities of the family farm and assumed odd jobs to help his father support the family. In 1944, Willie married Beatrice Thompson, before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945. Of that union three children were born: Benjamin, Lovia and Willie III. On his discharge, Willie became self-employed after purchasing a truck to haul timber and other materials. In 1951, Willie moved the family to Kansas City, seeking employment after a great flood devastated the area. He was a hard worker, using his truck to haul for businesses to supplement his regular earnings. Most of his work was as a laborer in the construction industry. However, his greatest passion was being self-employed repairing car and trucks in his garage. He mastered the many facets of automotive repair, even rebuilding motors. He tinkered in this trade until he was well in his 70’s. Willie and Beatrice were active members of the Victory Temple Christian Life Center, under Pastor Thurman Mitchell, until Beatrice passed in 1999. Although Willie continued to belong to the church, he began to travel to visit family, most of whom were in Arkansas, California and Las Vegas. As his health began to fail him, he spent his last 15 years in the rehabilitation center here. Throughout his lifetime he continued his enthusiasm for playing Dominoes every chance he got. Willie was preceded in death by his parents, Willie C. and Silvia Anderson; his wife Beatrice Thompson Anderson; two brothers, James Anderson and Felton Anderson; six sisters, Millie Smith, Helen Anderson, Cora Parks, Bessie McMurry, and Ida Marie Bates and Gladies Jones; daughter-in-law, Flora Anderson; two sons-in-law, James Riding and Monroe Harrell; and one grandson, Anthony Anderson. Our beloved Willie leaves to cherish his memory: two daughters—Lovia Harrell of Lee’s Summit and Monique Anderson; two sons – Benjamin Anderson (Willia Jean) of American Canyon, CA/Kansas City, MO and Willie Anderson III (Jo Maria) of Greenwood, MO; one grandson –Avvion Anderson (Vera) of, Vacaville, CA, and one granddaughter, Rhonda Anderson of Norcross, GA. He is also survived by a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Funeral Service will be held Thurs, April 21, 2022, 11:00am at the Linwood Chapel. Visit 10-11 at the chapel. Interment Leavenworth National Cemetery, LVNKS. Service conducted by Lawrence A. Jones & Sons Funeral Chapel. Condolences may be shared on our website. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mr. Willie C. Anderson, Jr., please visit our floral store. Read More