Willene Anderson

Willene Peebles Anderson passed away from age related conditions surrounded by family at her home on May 24, 2020.

She was born in the home of her grandparents, in KIondike, Texas on November 15th, 1927.  A tiny premature child, born before the age of NICU, she was kept warm and alive by the family fire by her grandfather, Will Hooten, because her parents were suffering from typhoid fever at the time.  She would be their only child.  When it came time to name her, her parents, Charlie Wesley Peebles and Bessie Irene Hooten Peebles allowed Will to make her his namesake.  Oldtimers still call her Wincie.

She wasn’t especially fond of field work as a child, so as soon as she was old enough, she learned to cook for the field workers and served the noon meal.  That was a job she carried through her adult life working alongside her husband and feeding him, her boys and all the ‘hands’ at her kitchen table most every day they worked.  After ‘dinner’, she and her mama often teamed up to haul cotton or other odd jobs on the farm in the afternoons.

When she was about 13 she laid claim to a cute little boy, named Harold Wayne Anderson who was a grade ahead of her at Klondike School, and he, in return, claimed her.  That claim lasted over half a century.  They were married on November 7th, 1947 after he returned from serving in the Merchant Marines in World War II.  They had two sons, Michael Harold, and Garry Don and lived in the Yowell community most of their lives.  They moved to Fairlie in later years where she cared for her mother who lived with them and enjoyed the ladies’ club.  After the deaths of her mother and husband, she moved to Commerce and enjoyed spending time with her friends and family; especially, her sister-in-law, Helen Anderson.

Willene was a life-long member of the Church of Christ, baptized at a young age, and attended churches in Klondike and Commerce.  She enjoyed cooking, growing plants, tending to her home and sometimes shopping.  Always ready to laugh or smile, she did not like to ‘let the sun go down on anger’.

She loved her family dearly and they loved her.  She leaves two sons and daughters-in-law, Mike and Vickie Anderson and Garry and Sharon Anderson of Commerce.  Her five grandchildren and their spouses are: Cade Anderson and wife Leslie of Arlington, Mica Anderson Tipton of Allen, Leah Anderson of Royce City, Christina Maloney and husband, Chris of Tyler and Jesse Anderson and wife, Lacy of Commerce.  Her ten great-grandchildren are Hallie Anderson, Anastasia Maloney, Reid Anderson, Ava Tipton, Aubrielle Maloney, Adeleine Maloney, Anna Claire Tipton, Andrew Maloney, Nolan Anderson and Emmaelynn Anderson.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 2:00 at the New Klondike Cemetery, less than a mile from her birthplace.  Honorary pallbearers were Michael Anderson, Garry Anderson, Cade Anderson, Jesse Anderson, Reid Anderson and Chris Maloney.