Evelyn Ann Anderson, 87, of Mansfield, Illinois, passed away peacefully the afternoon of Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at Carle Hospital with family and friends by her side. Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M., Saturday, July 8, 2017 at Calvert-Belangee-Bruce Funeral Home, Mansfield, Illinois. A graveside service will follow at 12:00 P.M. in Blue Ridge Township Cemetery, Mansfield, Illinois. Memorial donations may be made to Carle Hospice.
Evelyn was born on February 4, 1930 in Dana, Illinois. She attended and graduated from Minonk Dana Rutland School District. Shortly after graduation, moved to Bloomington, Illinois where she held various office jobs. While in Bloomington and enjoying a night of dancing at O’Neals Dance Hall, she met her future husband Paul K. Anderson. They were married on August 19, 1951. Evelyn and P.K. spent the next 47 years dancing through life together until he passed away on July 23, 1998. Together they raised two sons, Craig (Della) of Champaign and Brian of Mansfield. Evelyn greatly enjoyed the time she spent with her grandsons, Aaron and Brian W. from their childhood visits to Dewey’s until their most recent pizza parties at Monicals.
To know Evelyn was to know a committed lady. For almost three decades she worked side by side with P.K. cultivating the fields in the spring and harvesting the crop in the fall. Amazingly, she was the first one to rise and the last one to rest while she maintained a busy household between the hours she was working beside Paul Keith. Without a whisper of complaint, Evelyn assured that all of those around her, family, friends, shelling crews, equipment mechanics, and hired hands came before herself. Evelyn was often reminded of, and complimented on the fantastic meals, desserts, and snacks she would provide to those working at the farm.
At a time when many would consider starting to slow down, Evelyn began a 25 year career with Carle Clinic and Hospital. She enjoyed many of those years in the Eye Department where she began countless friendships with doctors, staff, and patients that lasted long after her retirement at the age of 75.
One of Evelyn’s greatest wishes was that she never had to leave the farm. She spent the last years of her life shuttling and feeding “the boys”, her own and those that worked with them, while they continued the farming operation. Always willing to help, many in the neighborhood will remember the petite lady bundled up from head to toe mowing the roadsides on her John Deere until only a year ago. Always a mother, as she began to slow down, she would keep a watchful eye on the comings and goings of trucks and machinery. Numerous times a day she would check in with Craig and Brian to keep informed of where they were working, how they were getting along, who was helping, and of course, to remind everyone not to work all night.
Regardless of the subject, whether it was her family, friends, the farm, her work, or volunteering, Evelyn was committed to giving her all too every task and person.
