White Funeral Home
1315 Main Street
Jesup, Iowa 50648

Dunkerton – Gene Robert Anderson, 79, of Dunkerton, IA, died peacefully, Thursday, November 12, 2020, at his rural farm home.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 17, 2020, at the Barclay Presbyterian Church, rural Dunkerton with burial at Old Barclay Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday, November 15, 2020, at the White Funeral Home, Jesup, IA.  Masks and Social Distancing are required.  Memorials will be directed to the Barclay Presbyterian Church.

Gene was born to William and Margaret (Jensen) Anderson at the Presbyterian Hospital in Waterloo, IA, on October 28, 1941.  He graduated from Dunkerton High School in 1960.  Gene proudly served in the Army Reserves from 1960 – 1965, Private First Class.  He married Diane Marie Reesink at the First United Methodist Church of Muscatine on December 28, 1967.

Gene began farming at an early age to help his dad who suffered from Polio.  At age 12, he bought and sold cattle and ran all the farm’s machinery.  During a half-century of farming, he founded Dunkerton Dairy Leasing and Hawkeye Star Farms.

Gene was generous beyond measure, he easily turned strangers into friends; and he championed and loved his grandchildren.  He helped lost boys from the Amish community during their rumspringa, neighbors, and friends of his children.  He had a place in his heart for Jeff Graham, Jake Hoffman, and Joe Bartruff for their years of devotion to the farm and the family.

He was an Elder at Barclay Presbyterian Church and a fifth-generation member.  He was baptized at Barclay on April 5, 1942 and confirmed on April 11, 1954.  He was a Gideon, enjoyed the Chicago Cubs, and loved country life on the farm.

Gene is survived by his wife Diane; their children, Rev. Dr. Julie Schuett (Steven); Walter (Julie); Eric; and Adam; six grandchildren, Dillon, Hayley, Alexia, Christian, Daniel, and Sia; and brothers, Donald (Gale); Charles (Sara); Stephen (Ellen); brothers-in-law, John (Barbara) Reesink and Thomas (Lucy) Swenson.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents and one sister-in-law, Donna Swenson.

White Funeral Home, 1315 Main Street, Jesup, IA, is in charge of the arrangements.