Charles R. Anderson

Charles R. Anderson, 91, of Savanna, IL passed away on February 18, 2026.

Born on April 8, 1934, Charley was the son of Anne (Kenny) and Gil Anderson. The youngest of four boys, he grew up in the Englewood neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. He graduated from Tilden Tech High School in 1952 and went on to college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI.

On June 16, 1962 he married Jane Waller. Together they raised four children and celebrated 64 years of marriage.

Charley was the beloved head wrestling coach at Savanna High School from 1965 to 1989 bringing home six Class A state team championships, 18 individual state champions, 50 individual state placers and 83 Individual qualifiers for the state tournament. He was awarded many accolades for his wrestling service and accomplishments over the years, including IWCOA Coach of the Year in multiple years, IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee, IWCOA Lifetime Achievement Award, Grand Marshall for the Illinois State Wrestling Finals parade, the IL Junior High State Championships and the IL Junior High and High School Sectionals. He was one of the charter inductees to the Northwest IL Hall of Fame (a.k.a. Shoot the Bull Hall of Fame) as well as a Hall of Fame inductee for Tilden Tech High School, NHSACA (National High School Athletic Coaches Association) Hall of Fame and ultimately the National Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in Stillwater, OK.

He was always more than just a wrestling coach and strived to promote the sport of wrestling in whatever way he could. In 1968, he started a statewide wrestling newspaper called Illinois Prep Wrestling News which eventually was picked up and published as The Word by the IWCOA, he served 5 years on the IHSA Rules Advisory Committee and in 1978 served as president for IWCOA (Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association).

His own wrestling career began at Tilden Tech High School becoming a state champion in 1952. He continued at University of Michigan placing 4th in the Big Ten Championships in 1956 and 3rd in the AAU Freestyle Nationals in 1959.

His coaching career began at University of Michigan also where he served as an assistant coach after he graduated. He moved on to become the head coach at Niles West High School in Niles, IL where he coached his first state champion wrestler and also met his wife, Jane, a fellow teacher at the high school. In 1965 he moved his pregnant wife and two children under two years old to Savanna where they added two more children and where he lived the rest of his life.

In the midst of raising four children, coaching wrestling and all of his extra-curricular wrestling activities, he was involved in the Savanna community as well serving over the years as a Savanna Park Commissioner, Carroll County Board member, Savanna Chamber of Commerce member, Lions Club member and president, Knights of Columbus member and also a devoted member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. He even took on coaching girls volleyball for a few years in the latter part of his teaching career.

He liked keeping busy and enjoyed hobbies that included gardening, home-brewed wine, collecting anything Disney, sparring about politics as well as some interesting side/summer jobs including construction work, owning & operating Midwest Insulspray, a turn with carnival games and ultimately owned & operated a T-Shirt business that he and Jane operated well into their retirement until Jane said “That’s enough!”

He will be sorely missed by many students, wrestlers, friends and his family but provided many fond memories for all to look back on.

He is survived by his wife Jane and four children, Dan (Marcy) Anderson of Linn Creek, MO, Brad (Shelley) Anderson of Healdsburg, CA, Debbie (Mike) Cusack of Chicago, IL, Mark Anderson of Savanna, IL, three grandchildren, Troy, Laura, David and sister-in-law Mary Jane Anderson of Grand Rapids, MI.

He is proceeded in death by his parents, Anne and Gil, his three brothers, Richard, Walter and Don and sisters-in-law, Lucy and Colette.

A visitation will be held 4 – 8 p.m., Friday, February 27, 2026 at Law Jones Funeral Home in Savanna. A Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 28, 2026 at St. John’s the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery, Savanna. Memorials may be made to the West Carroll Sports Boosters.