Austin Dale Anderson of Mount Vernon, Illinois, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on August 21, 2021. Born December 10, 1943, in Danville, Illinois, Dale was the son of Dorothy and Austin Anderson, who preceded him in death. He grew up in central Illinois, graduating from Chrisman High School in 1962. After high school, he attended Indiana University-Indianapolis while working for an insurance company.
In 1964, he enlisted in the US Army and was assigned to Army European headquarters as a project officer in the military intelligence office. While serving in Heidelberg, Germany, he met his future wife Linda Lantz on Thanksgiving Day 1966 in the historic Gasthaus Zum Roten Ochsen (Red Ox Inn). They were married in Monmouth, Illinois on August 12, 1967. After attending Western Illinois University, he started his career as a professional landman, working in several states before coming to Mount Vernon in 1979 as director of acquisition for Freeman United Coal Company. Continually from 1986, he was an independent acquisition agent in the development of mineral and energy resources.
He is survived by his loving wife Linda of Mount Vernon; brother Harold (Sandy) Anderson of Danville; son Quintin (Colleen Chon) and granddaughter Isabelle of Redwood City, California; and daughter Maye-Marie (Tim) Bryant and grandsons Tim, Mansa, and Nasir of Belleville, Illinois. They all deeply miss him.
He was deeply committed to community service, especially children’s causes. He was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon, serving as elder and sound tech, as well as Rotary International, serving as President of the Mount Vernon Rotary Club and District Governor. In 1991, he was named Rotarian of the Year. Over the years, he and his family hosted two disabled children from Belize for care at Shriners Children’s Hospital and six Rotary exchange students. He served as the board of the United Way of Jefferson County and a term as its president and was awarded for outstanding leadership in 1996.
He was dedicated to advancing his profession. He was a long-time member of the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), serving as director of region 2 from 1996-1998. He also was a member of the Energy Mineral Law Foundation and the International Right of Way Association.
In 2009, he was named Petroleum Professional of the Year by the Illinois Oil and Gas Association. Dale enjoyed travel, visiting almost all 50 states, Canada, and Europe. He enjoyed many hobbies including photography, music, geology, geography, and history, and took special pleasure in researching the history of his home state. A dedicated father, he supported his son and daughter’s academic, athletic and other extracurricular activities with countless hours spent volunteering for swim meets, shuttling back and forth from practices and events, and enduring loud and obnoxious band and musical instruments at all hours of day and night. But his greatest joy was spending time with family, especially his four grandchildren and wife.
In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to the Rotary International Belize Children’s Fund (<https://thebelizechildrensproject.webs.com/help-us>). A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, September 5, 2021, at 1:00 pm at 16962 North Casey Pike Lane in Mount Vernon, Illinois with Joannie Naraghi officiating. Dale will be buried at the Danville National Cemetery with full military honors. Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.
