Duane Anderson

Duane E. Anderson of Aledo, Ill., former President of the National Bank of Aledo and currently serving on the Board of Directors of Country Bank in Aledo, died Tuesday, September 6, 2005, at Trinity Medical Center in Rock Island. Funeral services are 1 p.m. Friday at the College Avenue Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Carl Stoldt officiating. Burial is in the Pleasant View Cemetery, Kewanee, Illinois. There is no visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to the College Avenue Presbyterian church. Fippinger Funeral Home, Aledo, is in charge of arrangements and online condolences can be made at www.fippingerfuneralhome.com.
Duane Everett Anderson was born August 21, 1925, in Orion, Ill., a son of Emil John and Lillie Lundgren Anderson. He graduated from Orion High School in 1942. He attended Western Illinois University in Macomb for two years where he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. He served in the U.S. Army Infantry, 6th division Intelligence Section, for two years. He served 18 months in the Philippines and Korea, where he was awarded several medals, including a combat star. He was discharged from active service as a Master Sargeant in 1946 and finished college at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., graduating in 1948. He later graduated from the School of Banking at Madison, Wisconsin.
Duane married June Elizabeth Ponte on August 23, 1944, in her parents home in Alpha, Ill.
While residing in Alpha, Duane was a charter member of the Alpha American Legion Post 1197, having served as second commander. He was a former member of the Alpha Methodist Church where he served on the Church Board and taught Sunday School and was a former member of the Omega Lodge 1067 AF & AM where he served as Master in 1952.
Mr. Anderson began his banking career at the National Bank of Aledo on June 21, 1948, where he remained for 40 years. After commuting from Aledo to Alpha for six years, the Anderson family moved to Aledo in 1954 and Duane became director of the bank in 1959. He was elected President in 1970 and held that office until retiring in 1988 where he remained as a Director. In 1999 he became a Director of the newly organized Country Bank in Aledo.
In 1954 they became members of the College Avenue Presbyterian Church in Aledo where he was ordained an elder in 1955 and served in that capacity for 22 years. Duane served on various church activities, including Sunday School Teacher, Trustee, Presbytery Mission Committee and Bi-Centennial Fund Chairman.
He was a member of the Aledo Masonic Lodge 252 AF & AM, Moline Consistory and Mohammed Shrine of Peoria. He guided many young men, including his two sons, as DeMolay Chapter Dad and was awarded the Cross of Honor.
Duane was very active in many area organizations, including the Mercer Foundation For Health, having been its first President from 1990 to 2000, and served as a Director until 2004. His banking career enabled him to do a great service to the community, having been a member of the Mercer County Bankers Federation, former Treasurer and President of the Aledo Kiwanis Club, American Cancer Society Treasurer, Bright Beginnings Day Care Center Organizer and Treasurer, PTA Treasurer, Mercer County Savings Bond Chairman, American Field Service Treasurer, Mercer County Housing Authority Secretary and Treasurer and Oakview Country Club Director and Treasurer
Other past and present memberships included the Aledo Exchange Club, Aledo Jaycees, American Legion Fallerans Post 121, Mercer County VFW Post 1571, Little League Manager and Aledo Baseball Commissioner for 10 years.
He is survived by his wife, June; two sons and daughters-in-law, Brent Duane and Cathy B. Anderson, of Bloomington Ill., and Bradley Charles and Sandra C. Anderson, of Normal, Ill.; and five grandchildren and spouses, Kyle (Christina Nichols) Anderson, of St. Louis, Dr. Brian (Dr. Yanhui Hu) Anderson, of Libertyville, Ill., Kent (Arianne) Anderson, of Palatine, Ill., Joni (Robert) Sherman, of LaGrange, Ill., and Jill Anderson, of Normal, Ill.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and five sisters.