Joseph D. ‘Dan’ Anderson
Joseph D. “Dan” Anderson, 67, of Vienna, died Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, at 3:17 a.m. at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.
He was born on Dec. 4, 1949, in Vienna, the son of Herman Moses Anderson and Edith Evelyn Pippins Anderson.
He married Millie Wiley on Sept. 11, 1970. He was later united in marriage to Susan Ogden on May 18, 1996.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughters, Jennifer (her husband Edwin) Shoemate of Vienna and Jeri (her husband Danny) Callaway of Champaign; two stepsons, Christian (his fiancee Beth Wilson) Rigdon of Nashville, Tenn., and Michael Rigdon of Herrin; four grandchildren, Madeline Shoemate, Tyler Shoemate, Kiley Rigdon and Anderson Callaway; four sisters, Patricia Bruner of Vienna, Peggy (her husband Don) Fluck of Marion, Rosie Anderson of Vienna and Julie (her husband Xavier) Hannan of Vienna; many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother, his father and his oldest sister, Darla Sue Anderson.
He was the regional superintendent of schools for the southern five counties of Illinois. He also served as a special education teacher, as the director of JAMP Special Education Services as a consultant for the Illinois State Board of Education and as an administrator of a federal school improvement grant. He was renowned statewide for his educational leadership.
He was an avid fisherman and was involved in wetland conservation and farming. He was also an advocate for children’s rights.
He had attended the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Vienna.
He was a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools and was president of his own local chapter of MENSA.
A memorial service honoring the life of Mr. Anderson was held Sunday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m. at Bailey Funeral Home in Vienna, which was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials can be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 4400 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110.
To leave an online message of condolence for his family, visit www.baileyfh.com.