Lee Anderson

Some people live their lives content in the slow lane, watching as the world passes them by. Lee Anderson certainly wasn’t one of them. Lee was a man who lived his life at one speed — full throttle. He was a proud father, loyal son and brother, and a faithful friend to many. Most of all, Lee was a man who lived for racing, and though he was taken too quickly, his life lives on in all who knew him.

Lee’s story began on a warm summer day in 1974, in the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Those were tumultuous times in this country, as the Vietnam War raged overseas, and President Nixon’s fate was sealed with the Watergate scandal and resignation. On June 23, 1974, Dennis and Deb (Douma) Anderson celebrated the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Lee William Anderson.

Lee was the first of two children, joining little sister Amy in the family’s home on Hoyle Street NW in Walker. His dad was a truck driver by trade, and a race car driver by passion, and much of Lee’s youth was spent traveling around in a motor home on the weekends, going from race to race. Lee didn’t mind, though; in fact, he loved that life, idolized his father, and formed a lifelong passion for racing right along with him.

Little Lee started out racing on motocross bikes, which he loved so much. He got his first motocross bike when he was just eight years old, and was hooked ever since. His mom would go to his races during the day, then take the kids to wherever their father was racing at night! They were devoted racers through the whole season, April through October. Lee was very good, too, and despite it being a very dangerous sport, he never was seriously injured. His worst “injury” came when he had a bee caught in his helmet during a race!

Lee attended Fairview Elementary School, and later Kenowa Hills High School, where he was a trophy-winner on the wrestling team. He was also a good student, and thought he might want to become a high school science teacher one day. So after graduating in 1992, he enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College and later Grand Valley State University, to study education. He completed everything but his student teaching, after he decided teaching just wasn’t for him.

Of course, Lee always found time for his racing, in addition to schoolwork. Racing was his first love, top priority, and his four-night-a-week habit. Eventually, though, Lee realized he wasn’t getting any younger, and knowing motocross is a young person’s sport, he graduated to racing cars, just like his dad.

Just like his dad, racing was Lee’s life. He began racing late-model cars at Berlin Raceway, racing for Johnny Benson’s team, and his home away from home was at the track. His dad was a former circuit champion in 1984, and was so proud of his son’s many accomplishments, both on the track and off. Lee once collected a first-place race check for $20,000!

He paid for his racing habit by working with a family friend named Tom House, whom Lee considered an uncle. Tom had a roofing and siding business, and he and Lee operated it together for a number of years.

As his success and fame at the track grew, Lee decided to parlay that love for racing into his own business, which he called Perfect Circle Race Cars. Perfect Circle specializes in custom-built race cars, and was located in a building he shared with Tom House. From “Outlaw Late-Models,” to “Template Late-Models,” to modifieds, Lee built ‘em all, including the car he began racing in, backed by T.A. Gentry. The business was a success, and people from all over the Midwest called on Lee to build race cars for them — and fix them, too! One of the biggest parts of Lee’s business was the custom repair.

Lee had other outlets for his artistry, too, and custom-painted helmets and signs on the side, working out of his house. His clients often had to be patient with his hobby, but the wait was always worth it for his wonderful work.

Of course, there was much more to Lee’s life than just racing. He was also a very devoted family man, who loved his daughter, Kaileigh Rae, more than anything. The day she was born in 2003 was prouder for him than any of the many trophies, the races, or anything else he won. He was a very devoted dad, who spent every other weekend and two nights each week with her. Of course, he never raced on the weekends he had her with him, wanting to spend every minute with her.

Lee was also very, very close with his little sister Amy, and they were practically best friends all their lives. Lee even agreed to be her “Man of Honor” at her wedding! (He didn’t do a very good job as the “fluffer” of her wedding dress, however!).

Lee’s sister introduced him to a friend of hers named Tara, who was a member of the Orchard Hills Reformed Church he became a member of in 2001. They hit it off, fell in love, and were engaged to be married, as well. They called off the wedding, but remained close friends afterward.

On the Fourth of July, 2007, Lee raced his trademark green-and-white outlaw late-model around the track in Jones, Michigan, with his dad watching in the pit crew, as always. Then on Saturday, July 7, 2007, Lee was boating with some friends on Spring Lake, when an accidental drowning occured. When news of the accident reached Berlin Raceway that evening, the track he called his home fell silent, out of respect for the man they knew and loved.

Lee was a wonderful man, a man who was so passionate about racing, about life, and the people around him. He was a loving father, brother, son and friend to so many. Most of all, Lee was a man who lived — and loved — at full throttle. He will be greatly missed.

Surviving are his daughter Kaileigh Rae Anderson, his parents: Denny and Debi Anderson, his sister and brother-in-law Amy and Ben Hobbie, his grandparents: Esther and Donald Anderson, Dawn Marie and William M. Douma, and family friend who he considered his Uncle, Tom House, Kaileigh’s mother Tara Stedman, his uncles and aunts: Diane and Bill Herrmann, William and Barb Douma, Darlene and Dave Crinion, Jayne McDonald, Cheryl and Dan Polkowski, Martha and Marshall Chase and many special cousins and a host of racing friends. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 A.M. at Orchard Hill Reformed Church, 1465 3 Mile Rd. N.W. with Rev. Bob Karel officiating. Interment to follow in Washington Park Memorial Gardens. Lee reposes at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Alt and Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. N.W. where relatives and friends may meet his family Tuesday from 7-9 P.M. and Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. For those who wish, memorial contributions, to help with the funeral expenses, in care of the funeral home, would be appreciated. To read more of Lee’s life, share a memory or photo or sign the online register book please visit www.lifestorynet.com