On Friday, January 2, 2004, a strong yet gentle soul was taken from us in a tragic accident. Rodney Dean Anderson, was a loving husband, devoted father, trusted friend and admired physician.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, January 6, 2004 at St. Anne Catholic Church in Beaumont.
Rodney was born August 4, 1953 in Holdrege, Nebraska to Bill and LaDonna Anderson. He attended North High School in Omaha. He was a member of the football team and kept in touch with many of his classmates throughout his life. Along with his brothers Doug and Perry he became a Mason and a member of the Shrine. Not often do we find three sons who follow in their Dad’s footsteps and become members of the same lodge.
Rod’s journey into the medical field began when he entered the University of Nebraska to study pharmacology. He graduated Cum Laude, BS, Pharmacy in 1976. The next year he entered the University of Nebraska Medical School where he graduated in 1981 with his Doctor of Medicine. From 1981- 1982, Rod did his internship and 1982- 1983 his residency in general Surgery at the University of Nebraska. He worked as an Emergency Room Physician until 1984 when he entered the Residence Program at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, in Diagnostic Radiology. He was Chief Resident in Radiology at Emory 1987- 1988 and was a fellow in NeuroRadiology, 1988- 1990.
In 1991, the family moved to Nashville Tennessee where Rod worked at Nashville Memorial Hospital. It was while he was in Nashville that he was approached by Radiology Associates to relocate to Beaumont, TX. After much thought and consideration the decision was made to move west. They arrived in Beaumont October 1992 and quickly became immersed in the community.
Rod became a member of the Board of Directors of the Jefferson County Medical Society. He was a delegate to the Texas Medical Association serving in the House of Delegates, its governing body. He was an active member of TEXPAC, the Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee. He had an active role in the legislative medical liability reform and passage of proposition 12 in 2003. Rod was slated to serve as President of the Jefferson County Medical Society in 2006- 2007. When Rod joined Radiology Associates he was the only 2 year Fellowship trained NeuroRadiologist in Southeast Texas. Rod was licensed to practice medicine in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Nebraska. He was a member of American College of Radiology, American Heart Association, American Society of NeuroRadiology, Senior Member, Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, and the Radiological Society of North America.
His contributions to the community did not stop at the hospital doors. Rod was an avid supporter of the Beaumont Symphony, The Julie Rogers Gift of Life, and Some Other Place.
He was a soccer dad and a staunch supporter of Kelly football. He could be seen on the sidelines of the football games, as a referee at soccer games or as Daddy sharing a quick lunch at the school cafeteria with his girls.
Rod is survived by his wife Tenna McGee- Anderson, sons Nick, Nolan, Nelson, of Omaha, NE and Nicholas, and Alex, and daughters Molly and Leah. His parents, Bill and LaDonna Anderson of Omaha, NE, brothers Doug Anderson of Omaha, NE, Perry Anderson and his wife Sandy of Kansas City, MO, and sister Pat Anderson of Orlando, FL; sister-in-law, Linda McGee Davis; brothers-in-law, Sam McGee and his wife, Debbie and Mike McGee and his wife, Denise; nieces and nephews, Kim McGee Buffington, Andrea and Greg Cooper, Melissa and Stephen Hendrix, Emily McGee and Amanda McGee; great nieces and nephews, Brent Buffington, Jordan Cooper and Taylor Cooper.
In lieu of flowers memorial contribution may be made to St. Anne’s School, P.O. Box 3429, Beaumont, Texas, 77704; Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, 5950 Kelly Dr., Beaumont, Texas, 77707; Birthright Inc., 2626 Calder, Suite 201, Beaumont, Texas, 77702; OR Tangier Shrine, Transportation Division, 2823 South 84th St., Omaha, Nebraska, 68124.
This was no ordinary life. This was a life well-lived and well-loved, a life that will be deeply missed.
