Karen describes her youth in San Francisco as fun and fortunate. She grew up in Twin Peaks, where she enjoyed magnificent views of the city and the bay. She attended the prestigious Lowell High School, which at the time was housed in an old building without a football field, gym, or auditorium. Graduation was held at the opera house, and football games took place at Kezar Stadium.

Karen started college at UC Davis, where she majored in math and minored in art, aspiring to become a computer programmer. In those days, computer courses were scarce. She graduated from San Jose State in 1966, having taken just one unit of computer classes from both the Math and Engineering Departments, where she was the only female student. Karen started her career at Southern Pacific in downtown San Francisco as a computer programmer where the huge computer occupied an entire floor in the basement, the coolest area of the building.

Growing up, Karen (family name Anderson) spent every summer in Sveadal, a Swedish resort community in an unincorporated part of Morgan Hill, about 15 miles from town, where she embraced Scandinavian culture. She continues to spend most of her summers there.

Wedding in San Francisco 1967

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It was at Sveadal that she met her husband Michael at a dance. At the time he was in the Navy, based at Moffett Field. He had grown up in Morgan Hill, and his parents still lived there. Karen and Mike began dating and were married in 1967, just before he finished his five years in the Navy.

Mike then went to work as a pilot for Northwest Airlines, which was based in Minnesota. They, along with their two sons, moved to Morgan Hill in 1975. They purchased one of the first homes built in Jackson Meadows, where they still live.

Since airline employees can fly standby, the family has done a lot of traveling, which Karen enjoys.

Karen and sister Positano, Italy 2016

During her most active years with AAUW, Karen managed tee shirt orders and flyers for the Wildflower Run. She also assisted with Programs and in 2002 helped organize the extremely successful “Gala Festa” that featured Irene Dalis, founder of the Opera San Jose, as the speaker.

Sign for monument with co-presidents Joan Ensign and Carol O’Hare 2002

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Karen has always been passionate about promoting AAUW. Her efforts include getting the AAUW logo added to the monument on Monterey Road at the north end of town and creating display boards for Women’s History Month at the library and bank.

Today, she keeps busy with volunteer work, including serving on the board at Sveadal, and four grandchildren, ages 6 to 21.  She enjoys playing bridge and attending AAUW Wine & Whine and the Smart eGals interest group.

As long time residents of Morgan Hill, Karen and Mike were among several interviewed for the Morgan Hill Historical Society’s 2020 “Stories from the Past. Watch the video at https://www.morganhillhistoricalsociety.org/2020-stories-from-the-past

Karen feels very lucky to be enjoying good health. “I continue to live a full, happy life,” she reflects, and “I’ve always been glad I joined AAUW so many years ago.”

– Laura Whitaker