Page 19 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2017- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

Dr. Carl Andersen

Man of

Many (big)

Hats by Linda Andersen

arl Andersen’s birth certificate lobby. I first heard and then spotted He made All State in basketball
reads “Karl Madsinius those big, tall guys gathered around and played in the Texas All Star
CAndersen, Jr.” His father the piano singing with lots of energy game. He was offered full basketball
was born in Danavang, a small and gusto! One of them, in particular, scholarships at five major universities.
Danish settlement in southeast Texas seemed to be leading the group with He chose instead to go to this small
where school was taught in the a deep bass/baritone voice and a big Methodist college just forty miles
Danish language. Carl’s paternal smile on his face. away from his home.
grandparents had immigrated from
Denmark in the late 1800s. His I didn’t see “that guy” again until the Carl and I married shortly before our
mother, JoLee Dickson Andersen, was following Sunday evening. A group graduations in 1957. With no money
the daughter of early settlers in the of friends and I were waiting for the but a lot of faith, we headed to Perkins
Seymour region. service to begin at St. Paul’s Methodist School of Theology where Carl earned
Church, when he slipped into the a Master’s Degree in Theology. In
When World War pew right beside that same period, he was ordained
II broke out, with me. I remained by the Northwest Texas Conference
the prevalent impressed with as a Methodist minister. His first
“anti-foreigner his music, but then assignment was a small church in the
sentiment,” Carl’s that big smile was Texas Panhandle, Darrouzett, Texas
father chose to ok, too! where our daughter, Becky was born.
“Americanize” the His annual salary after seven years of
spelling of their Eventually, I college was $3,300.
names. Carl Sr. learned that Carl
spent a lifetime Andersen came Three years later, he accepted a
trying to drop any to McMurry position in Lubbock as associate
hint of a foreign with a history of minister at First United Methodist
accent. A good leadership and of Church, and our son, Mark was
vocabulary and breaking records. added to our family constellation.
strong American At Sweetwater
diction became a High School, he
major priority. The served as Drum
children of JoLee and Carl Andersen Major in the school band. He won
developed incredible vocabularies awards at state competition with his
and an intense interest in and trombone. He went to State in Track.
knowledge of the English language.
It was September 1954 when I
first saw Carl Andersen, Jr. The
McMurry College basketball team had
wandered over to the girls’ dorm to
check out the newest crop of freshmen
girls. As I was moving in a load of
my stuff, I glanced around the big

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