All Is Well

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Put no difference in your tone,
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well.

Henry Scott Holland


On November 25, 1958 Robert M. Anderson and the late Rosa Shelton Anderson became the proud parents of a bouncing 8 lbs 2 oz baby boy, Robert Kevin Anderson. He was the third of three children, "the baby boy." Kevin had an overwhelming desire to sit in the "joining up chair," and professed his belief in Jesus Christ at age 6. He was baptized by his father at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church where he later became interim pastor.

Kevin graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School in 1975 and, at the tender age of 16, continued his education at Paducah Community College, Western State University, and transferred to Murray State University where he met and later married Priscilla Gilbert Anderson.

Continuing a family tradition, Kevin held the position of Vice President of the First District Sunday School and BTU Congress where his father was President and mother was Secretary. He had several articles published in the American Baptist News.

Kevin was a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and spent several years as a sports announcer at KYOK radio station in Houston where he had the pleasure of meeting many well known sports figures and nationally known entertainers. He briefly served in the United States Army and received a medical discharge in 1980. He was co-host of "Paducah Day" on WKYX-WKYQ, Paducah, in the mid 90's. Kevin had a passion for playing drums and played in the Tilghman Band during high school and for several churches in Paducah and Houston.

In later years, Kevin moved from Houston to Paducah to help care for his father. It was during this time that he endeared himself to many who knew him by unselfishly giving his sister Roberta one of his kidneys. The doctors said he was a perfect donor. When asked his reason, he simply stated, "I love her and I'm tired of her being sick." At the time of his death, he was attending Daymar College where he was frequently on the President's Honor List.

Kevin departed this world July 7, 2009. He leaves to mourn their loss his father, Reverend Robert M. Anderson, sisters Karen Lamb, Houston, Texas and Roberta Strickland, Paducah, Kentucky; son, Kevin Christopher, Houston, Texas, daughter, Kimberly Rose, Houston, Texas, nieces Margaret Vinson, Houston, Texas, Kristen Anderson, Paducah, Kentucky, Stephanie Shirley (Drew), Bowling Green, Kentucky and Danielle Strickland, Louisville, Kentucky; two nephews, Jarret Anderson, Bowling Green, Kentucky and Larry Lamb (Tiesha), Houston, Texas; a grand niece and nephew, an aunt, uncles and cousins.

Kevin, we will miss your wit, dry humor, adept knowledge of the Bible, and your unique intellectual insight, but we take comfort in believing that you are finally at peace.