By Sherry Benz
Meet Karen Hillis
Karen is the second Member-at-Large on the Tennis Club Board, serving with Harry Soin. She moved to the Villages in June 2020 to live with her Mom, our own Betty Olsen, and her Dad, Lon, who recently passed away. Karen retired as a high school math teacher in Turlock after a career of 28 years. She loves living at the Villages. She finds the people welcoming and the activities endless. Karen especially appreciates the freedom to explore anything she is interested in. She says that this life style has had a heath benefit wherein she was previously on medication for high blood pressure, it is no longer needed. High school students vs Villagers … understandable!
Karen grew up in a household where tennis was the activity of the day. To be Betty’s daughter, she HAD to play. There was little sitting around the house, especially on a nice day, and the family would often be on the courts for the entire weekend. She began playing at 8 years of age and had some coaching from a tennis pro in the early years. Betty was Karen’s high school tennis coach where she usually filled the #2 singles slot. As a fluke, she walked on as a Senior at Humboldt University and made the team!
Karen has played on several USTA teams for the Villages. She has a wicked forehand that can whiz past you before you know it and she has lovely classic tennis strokes. Even though she likes competition, she gets very nervous prior to a match. She is intent on conquering her fears by playing more. A good lesson for all of us!
Karen stays busy with hiking, tennis, occasional pickleball and walking her 6-year-old dog, Wilson, who she rescued at 2 weeks of age. She is an adoring grandma of four and spends one week a month helping with 1-year old twins. Karen is also in leadership for the Women’s Auxiliary at the local Mormon temple where the emphasis is charity, seeing a need and meeting it. She is part of a close-knit family that meets at Stanford camp (for 52 years!) bringing them together for fun and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.