The Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau has posthumously honored Van Adkisson with its Ag Service Award, recognizing his decades of dedication to agriculture, community leadership, and rural values.
Adkisson graduated from Roseville High School in 1973, completed training at Reisch Auction College in Mason City, Iowa, and earned a degree from Carl Sandburg College in 1975.
He built a distinguished career as an auctioneer and farmer. For 50 years, he owned and operated Van Adkisson Auction Service, LLC, and managed Adkisson Farms, a sixth-generation family farm in Point Pleasant Township. His professionalism and deep ties to agriculture made him a trusted name across the region.
Adkisson was equally committed to community service. He served on the boards of Security Savings Bank, Rushville State Bank, the Roseville Community Center, Roseville Township Cemetery, Roseville Library, and the Warren County Fair, where he volunteered for 33 years. He was an active member of the Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau, the Illinois State Auctioneers Association, and the National Auctioneers Association.
The WHFB Ag Service Award is a fitting tribute to his character, leadership, and lifelong dedication to his community and the land he loved. Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Manager Ashlyn Quinn shares more.
“This year we did award that to Van Adkisson, so that was great. We had his family with us at our social event on Saturday and were able to still give our normal speech and present them with an award in his honor. He’s done so much and usually he’s the one that runs that auction for us. [We] felt that it was very well deserved and unfortunately, we thought maybe we had a little bit more time that he would get that award, but we felt this year was the right year to award him that and we were honored to be able to do that and have his family with us.”
