Longtime Fonner Park Announcer Anderson Dies at 69

Veteran Fonner Park track announcer Steve Anderson of Grand Island, Neb., died May 16. He was 69.

Anderson, who had battled prostate cancer, started his 19th season of calling races at his local track in February. In an obituary, his family noted that Anderson spent the final weeks of his life the same as he lived much of it: talking about sports, especially complaining about the state of Nebraska Cornhuskers football.

With a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Nebraska, Anderson worked various broadcast sports jobs in the state for many years. In 2004 he agreed to be the Fonner Park track announcer. 

His family noted that horse racing was always in Anderson's blood, having grown up idolizing his late grandfather Garnett Phifer from Red Cloud, Neb., who was a Thoroughbred trainer. For 19 years, Anderson covered Fonner's spring meet, with additional stints at Horsemen's Park in Omaha, State Fair Park in Lincoln, Prairie Meadows in Des Moines, Iowa, and Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. 

Anderson crafted old lines into his own style, using "pickin' 'em up and layin' 'em down" and "it's a ding-dong battle for the lead" among others to bring the Fonner crowd to its feet. Steve's passion for horse racing shined brightly through the intercom, and it was a job he cherished up until his final day April 2 at "The Fon."

A Celebration of Life service will be held May 26 at 3 p.m. CST in the Bosselman Conference Center at Fonner Park. 

Anderson was born to Jerry and Shirley Anderson in 1953 in Grand Island. He graduated from Grand Island Senior High in 1971 and from the University of Nebraska in 1975.

Anderson had a four-month stint in Sidney, Neb., at KSID Radio, then signed on as sports director for NTV Channel 13 in Kearney, Neb. Five years later he made the jump to KHAS Channel 5 in Hastings in a similar role. Both broadcasting jobs provided Anderson opportunities to interview the likes of Tom Osborne, George Brett, and Reggie Jackson, cover Kearney State's improbable run to the 1978 NAIA basketball championship game, and participate in the Big 8 Skywriters tour.

In 1982 Anderson left television and joined his father to help run Skate Island, the family-owned roller skating rink in Grand Island. For almost 40 years Anderson presided over countless chicken dances and limbo contests, distributed endless skeeball prizes, and hosted thousands of birthday parties. Anderson remained the proud owner and operator of Skate Island until that business was dissolved following its roof collapse in February 2021.

Anderson is survived by his wife, Kathy (Eriksen) Anderson, with whom he shared 20 years of marriage; two children, Neysha Whiten and Ryan (Carmen) Anderson; three step-children, Anne Sorensen, Trevor Sorensen, and Kyle (Brandee) Argent; and eight grandchildren, Kyan, Aiden, Kayah, Lily, Talia, Sydney, David, and Daniel. Steve is also survived by his former wife Karen (Brokering) Anderson, the mother of his children; his two sisters, Sheri Hack and Kathy Davis; and his father Jerry. He was preceded in death by his uncle Ardent Phifer and his mother Shirley.

Father Richard Piontkowski will officiate the upcoming celebration of life service. The family will greet friends after the service. A private burial will take place at Loup Fork Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Anderson's honor to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.