Trenton Ryan Anderson

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Mr. Trenton Ryan Anderson, age 14 of Traphill passed away Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Atrium Health Wake-Forest Baptist medical center in Winston-Salem.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Friday, August 8, 2025, at Thanks To Calvary Baptist Church at 1522 Austin Traphill Road, Elkin, NC. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Thursday, August 7, 2025, at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home. Burial will be in Knobbs Baptist Church Cemetery, 8505 Austin Traphill Road, Elkin, NC.

Trenton was born May 4, 2011, in Wilkes County to Tequila Dawn Boykin.

He was preceded in death by grandparents, James Alfred Boykin and Tricia Rae Brown Porter; and great grandparents, Willie Mae Boykin, William Yancy Boykin, Billy Amos West, and Martha Faye West.

He is survived by his mother, Tequila Dawn Boykin of the home; stepdad, Justin Handy of the home; sister, Azaleigh Handy of the home; biological father, Derrick Anderson of North Wilkesboro; grandparents, Amanda West of Galax, VA, Scott Anderson of North Wilkesboro, Russell Handy of Hays, Renee Handy of North Wilkesboro; great grandparents, Donald and Reanee Brown of Purlear and Kent and Pat McCann of Roaring River; several aunts and uncles and twenty-one cousins.

To know Trenton was to know deep, pure love. Trenton brought light, love, and laughter to every room he entered. Trenton’s laugh was so big, and I mean so big, he always wanted everyone to laugh with him. I guess that’s why he was always pranking someone by hiding and giving them a jump scare or turning the bathroom light out on his little sister. It’s located outside the bathroom in the hall. He would turn it off and on, repeatedly, and laugh so hard as he ran away. Another one of his favorite pranks was when someone walked in front of the car; he would blow the horn to scare them. He never missed an opportunity to laugh big and make everyone in the room laugh, being his silly self.

He did not meet a stranger; he could strike up a conversation with anyone. He made everyone feel like a friend, and he truly cared about his people. His unique smile was genuine, and you could really tell when he was actually happy because his eyes smiled too! He always received compliments on his beautiful eyelashes. He was such a giving soul; he would truly go out of his way to make someone smile. He was the first to want to help. It brought him such joy. He was selfless when it came to helping others.

Every day was an adventure for Trenton; he looked for fun in all things.

Some of his favorite adventures included riding anything with wheels, hunting, swimming, riding horses, attending rodeos, races, and most of all spending time with the people he loved. This summer, Trenton has grown so much that he was blossoming into a remarkable young man before our eyes. He was so proud of how tall he had grown. He was a couple of inches from being 6 feet, and boy, was he proud of that. He would smile so big when I would say, “You are going to be a big man”; He not only grew tall, but he was also figuring out who he was. As a parent, you get many different versions of your children as they grow. This version of Trenton was one of my favorites.

Trenton was a skilled and avid fisherman, and he participated in the WWMS fishing team. When he became an older brother, he taught his sister to fish, how to defend herself, to be kind, and to always be brave in standing up for what you believed in. He was so excited to become a big brother; he wanted to help with everything. He made sure she knew he was her BIG brother and that he would take care of her or anyone who put her in harm’s way. He made sure to cheer her on at all sporting events for as long as he could sit still. He has played many sports over the years. Basketball was one of his favorites, and recently, he had decided to play softball for Austin Ball Park. He loved his teammates and the community in Austin. He would also practice throwing and catching the ball with his little sister. Seeing them do things together, given his age difference, brought so much joy to our hearts.

He loved treasure hunting, as he would call it. Many would say Trenton was an old soul because any thrift store or yard sale was the place to be for him. He enjoyed music and being the DJ with whomever he was riding with. His taste in music was unmatched. He enjoyed the small things in life, such as food. He loved a good home-cooked meal with his friends and family. He spent a lot of his time with his cousins and close friends.

Trenton had a love for animals. We adopted his first dog, Elmer, from the Humane Society of Wilkesboro, and from that point on, he wanted to help any animal that he could. He was tender-hearted in the best way. He would donate his time to helping save animals. He loved them while in his care and struggled to re-home them.

Trenton loved attending different churches. If you invited him to church with you, he was going to come to your church. He took that very seriously. Last summer, he gave his life to Jesus and was baptized.

He was adamant about what he wanted to do with his life; he wanted to join the military. This summer, he had decided that he wanted to be a diesel mechanic after his time served in the military. He spent a lot of his time in our neighbor’s shop and his cousin’s shop learning and honing his skills. Since he was a little boy, he loved taking things apart and sometimes putting them back together.

During his school days, school was not his favorite place, but he made the best of it, being the social butterfly that he was. He was given the nickname the mayor of Millers Creek Elementary and was immensely proud of that title. He was loved by so many of his teachers, and they would always tell me how helpful he was.

A little to know about Trenton’s earlier years: from a baby, Trenton loved cowboys. He had decided that he was a cowboy. He has always had a passion for boots. Toy Story, was one of his favorites. He loved Nerf guns; he had endless Nerf wars. Legos and Hot Wheels were a necessity at home. He always would come to his mother’s bed at night for snuggles, and he still always gave her a goodnight hug and kiss, even as a teenager.

Though Trenton’s time with us was far too short, the impact he made will last a lifetime. He lived with a heart wide open, loving fiercely, laughing loudly, and giving selfishly. His light touched everyone he met through his kindness, his joy, and his ability to make even the smallest moments feel special. As we carry on without him, we will continue to get a glimpse of him in the laughter of a child, the twinkle of a mischief-filled smile, the warmth of a tight hug, and the quiet strength it takes to be both gentle and brave.

Trenton may be gone from our arms, but he will forever live in our hearts. His love, his laughter, and his legacy will never fade.

Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com.

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