Gene Anderson, JR (1970

This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved
one, Gene Anderson, JR who was born in Belcourt, North
Dakota on July 05, 1970 and passed away on December 17,
2004, at New Town North Dakota at the age of 34. Gene was in a automobile accident when he passed away.
We will remember him forever.
Gene Arol Anderson, JR is the son of Gene & Beverly (LaVallie). He has one sister Pamela Defender, a Grandmother Norma Anderson, and many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly. Gene Attended grade school at the Dunseith Indian Day School and then went to the Dunseith Public school where he graduated from high school in 1989.
While in high school, he had many accomplishments. He joined football in 10th grade and was an outstanding football player because of his great strength. (His dad says this was because he made him haul & split wood, throw hay, and haul rocks.) He joined track in the 10th grade because his girlfriend Melissa was in it. He went to state competition every year and placed in state in the javelin, discuss, & shot put.
When he was in the sixth grade he started to wrestle in the spring season the following year, he tried to join basketball, but Mr. Good the wrestling coach had other ideas. He kept coming to get him for wrestling practice. As a result, Gene went to state in his sophomore year, Junior and Senior Year. He placed 4th in 1988 at 160lbs., and in 1989 he took 3rd at 189lbs. Another accomplishment he had was to receive the Rolette County Athlete of the Year Award along with his classmate Michelle Bauer his senior year.
After graduation, he worked for Verlin which was proud that he (Gene) was able to do the work of several men. He also worked for Nodak Contracting for a number of years.
On July 10, 1993 Gene married Melissa Poitra, his childhood sweetheart. She is the daughter of Lowell and Bonnie Poitra. They were married for 11 1/2 years. They had two children, Seth & Abby Jean. He also had a son Devin Korynta, who lives in Minot, ND.
He was a very accomplished arm wrestler and had many first and second place wins at the state level. He arm-wrestled both with his left and right arms. He competed in Canada and many other states.
His major accomplishment was to go to Las Vegas to compete and be on ESPN. His next love was the sport of team roping which he started in 1999 with his horse Fancy. Like everything he did, he went after this competition wiith his "whole Heart". He received belt buckles in 2002, two buckles in 2003 and one in 2004. In 2003, he finally won the saddle he was trying so hard to win. In 2004 he won a jacket from the Ray Keplin Klassic, which he was very proud of. During all this time he continued to work as a concrete finisher on his own. In 2004 he and Melissa began their own contracting company, called Finish Line Construction. He worked in New Town, Parshall, Mandaree, Twin Buttes, and Whiteshield ND. He was very successful and had more work than he ever imagined and was constantly on the road between the sites in his 2004 Chevy Cowboy Cadillac.
During his busy life, he had time to help his parents on the farm where he helped put up hay, and worked with the cattle. He also loved to hunt with his dad and sons, trap and hunt coons with his friends. Gene was loved as a son, husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend.
To know Gene was to love and respect him for who he was. He was generous and kind and loved to have fun.
His family and friends were blessed to have him in their Lives.

Pam's new tattoo in memory of my brother
GENE.
July 5, 2007

Don Charging, Gene and Neil Carlson. Gene's first saddle he won for Roping (2003).

Please light a candle in Memory of Gene and aslo for his family to keep them in your prayers. You may also just light a candle to let us know that you have come by to just say "Hi".
God bless all of you.

Matthew 28:20

Gene's last ride.

Procession to the grave site in 30 below zero weather. About a mile away from the church.
Couldn't be any other way.

The Finish Line
The road was long, I need to rest. The race is won, I did my best. My job is done, I did it well.
My family and friends all could tell
how much they meant to me.
A prouder father I could not be.
A father like no other these two have had. I
lead them straight with tender love, I am watching
still from above, I am here with you all.
On the wind you will hear me call.
Tell my wife she was the best, tell her now she too can rest.
She has taken care of me, she loved me so, I could see.
Tell her that in all the world, I was so lucky she was
"MY girl."
She loved my heart and my strong head. At the dimming of the day, in the quiet of our bed, once again I lay my weary head on her chest and say to her,
Mama Bear, you'll never know all your love, you let it flow over me throughout my day. I kept it close and it will stay with me as I leave this land. But of everything keep with you my hands, though they were rough and torn, they hold you still through this storm, they are still strong and with you keep them, held around you as you sleep.
I'm sorry that I had to go, I was tired, Mama Bear,
only you could know. That even though my life was short, from Heaven I will watch our Fort.
Good night my love, sleep tight! Don't let the bedbugs (or cockroaches) bite.
May the Angels of God be with you throughtout the day.
The road was long, I need to rest, the race was won, I did my best.
So long my Friends, do not cry, raise your Whiskey to the sky, say a toast!
Remember me. Waiting for you at the
Finish Line is where I'll be.

Lord, I reckon I'm not much just by myself, I fail
to do a lot of things I ought to do.
But Lord, when trails are steep and passes high, Help me ride it straight the whole way through.
And when in the falling dusk I get that final call, I do not care how many flowers they send,
Above all else,
the happiest trail would be For YOU to say to me, "Let's ride, My Friend"
AMEN

When I left this world without you I know it made you blue. Your tears fell so freely, I watched; I know this is true.

While you were weeping, days after I passed away. While all was silent within me, I saw you kneel to pray.

From this wonderful place called heaven, where all my pain is gone, I send a gentle breeze to whipser, "My loved ones, please go on."

The peace that I have found here goes far beond compare. no rain, no clouds, no suffering-just LOVE from everywhere.

You need not be troubled just stay close to GOD in prayer someday we'll be reunited, My love, HiS love surrounds you always,

"Cowboy's Prayer"
Our Heavenly Father, we pause at this time,
mindful of the many blessings you have bestowed upon us.
We ask, Lord, that you will be with us in the arena of life.

We as cowboys do not ask for special favors.
We don't ask to draw around the chute fighting horse, the steer that won't lay, or to never break the barrier.
We don't even ask for all daylight runs.

We do ask Lord, that you will help us live our lives here on earth as cowboys, in such a manner, that when we make that last inevitable ride, to the country up there, where the grass grows lush, green, and stirrup high, and the water runs cool, clear, and deep, that you'll take us by the hand and say -

"Welcome to Heaven cowboy, your entry fees are paid."

When I Die

When I die I want them to bury me

Somewhere out on the lone Prairie.

Where the prairie grass grows high in

June And the whippoorwills sing a

mournful tune.

Where crickets chirp all through the

night And prairie hens scamper from

your sight.

Where cattle feed on the jimson weed

And prairie winds blow the tumbleweed.

Where coyotes howl at a big full moon

Out where the sage and cactus bloom.

Let me rest aside the trail I traveled

long, On the peaceful prairie on which I

roamed.

Bury me out where my spirit can roam

free, Not in some uptown lonesome old

cemetery.

Don't mourn for me or grieve at my loss,

There, my spirit will still be its own

boss.

Carve on my marker, "He is now at rest,

On the beloved prairie that he loved

best.

" Have a cowboy sing for me, my eulogy,

"Here lies a cowboy who is now home

free."