Meet our Member: Karen Anderson

​​​I am Karen Anderson and I was born in Mora Minnesota.  I have lived in Lindstrom for 62 years.  I am married to Lynn Anderson a fellow classmate for 47 years.  We have 3 children – Jodee who lives in Woodbury Tennessee is married to Stanton Bryson. They have 2 children Wyatt 11 and Makayla 8; Ashley Anderson who lives in Linwood Township and Jordan who lives in Linwood Township and is married to Analisa.  They have 2 children Willow 2 ½ and Cooper 9 months.

I went to school for Medical Records after graduation I was hired at Hazelden and set up the medical records department.  I left Hazelden after 4 years and went to work at the high school as the secretary to the principal, Robert Masche. I have worked at multiple places – the Center City and Lindstrom Post Offices; Frontier Communications for 11 years and the DNR for the State of Minnesota.  While my kids were growing I was very active in the Home and School Association and other groups.

In 1983, Lynn and I purchased his brothers auto body Business in Lindstrom.  Lynn has always been into racing cars and snowmobiles.  In 1985, we started another business called Anderson Chassis Service, which manufactured drag racing and speed run sleds.  We hold the World’s Fastest Snowmobile engine powered snowmobile at 192.5 mph in a quarter mile.  This record was set in Canada and we were published in multiple papers and the RPM magazine for Truckers and the Canadian Discovery Channel and multiple race sights.  Our son, Jordan set a record of 182 mph in 1000’ feet at a race up north. My husband invented the patented snowmobile push through stud and hexterminator fastener, which are sold all over the world.

In 1996, we built a 1/8-mile clay oval competition go-kart track called Flying Pines Kart Raceway in Balsam Lake Wisconsin. We hosted the King of the Dirt championship for 10 years, which was the last year that we ran the business.  We still own the race track and maybe someday might open it back up.

On a fun day I raced our 250 engine sled that has to be at 9000 rpm’s before the clutch engages.  I beat this guy that always wins and when that happened the next year they had implemented a minimum driver and sled weight.  Little did they know that I wouldn’t be racing because I was pregnant with my son.

Before Lynn and I had children he did stock car racing at Cedar Lake, Princeton and Stillwater every weekend.  I so wanted to try it but they never had a powder puff race, but I did race the go-karts and won my races, along with at Northstar Drag stripe where I beat Steve Barrentine who raced a 1962 Chrysler Hurst who held the the title in that class.  I raced our 318 short box pickup.  Lynn had dialed me in for the powder puff race too low and I went faster that the dial in time so I lost.  I wasn’t happy, so that’s when he let me race the Class Z and I won.  So proud of my trophy.

I have met so many people from all our the US and so loved our racing years.  I remember when Mario Andretti called us for a snowmobile track and I thought it was a joke, but it was real.

My favorite collection that I am so passionate about is anything Elvis Presley.  I’m so in love with him that my dogs are name Riley Presley and my other one is Oliver Elvis.  I collect Barbie dolls and Mopar cars.

I joined Rotary when I worked at Frontier.  Frontier wanted to start being more in the public eye, so I was the chosen one.  I have been in Rotary for over 9 years.  When I worked in St Paul I had to leave Rotary and rejoined in 2018.  I love the fellowship and all the good that we do for our committee and how passionate we are about the world.

Thank you
Karen Anderson