Kjeld Andersen was a skilled businessman who, together with his wife Margit, founded one of the country's largest companies for renting Danish holiday homes – Sol og Strand Feriehusudlejning A/S in 1979.

He was born in Himmerland as the youngest of five siblings. Despite modest conditions at the small farm with about 25 acres of land, 'Mathildesminde', it was a safe and loving childhood. Growing up in Himmerland defined him as a person for the rest of his life. He was frugal, hardworking, generous, and had an eye for people who were struggling.

Even as a child, he learned that education was important, and at his own request, he began attending a nearby secondary school. He completed his education with top marks, which secured him a place at Vestjysk Gymnasium in Tarm. The gymnasium was a boarding school where young people from less privileged families could receive an education, food, and lodging, and at the age of 16, Kjeld Andersen moved to Tarm.

In 1961, he graduated as a mathematical student and chose to continue his studies in agronomy at the Agricultural University of Copenhagen. He then became employed as an agricultural consultant in North Zealand agricultural organizations. In 1975, he was hired as a consultant at the Agricultural Organizations' Professional National Center in Aarhus. The year before, he had met Margit, which marked the beginning of a 49-year-long marriage and a 50-year-long collaboration in the rental of holiday homes.

Before meeting Kjeld, Margit Andersen had purchased a summer house plot in Lyngsaa, where a summer house was built. The couple's wedding in 1975 was held in the newly built summer house, and during their honeymoon, which took place in a tent in Lapland, Finland, the summer house was rented out. This way, they could earn a little extra money, but what the couple did not know at the time was that it marked the beginning of Sol og Strand Feriehusudlejning.

By 1978, four more summer houses had been built in Lyngsaa, and Margit Andersen was tasked with renting them out while Kjeld Andersen continued his consulting job in Aarhus.

In 1979, the couple decided that holiday home rental would be their livelihood, and they started with the rental of about 50 houses. Today, the company manages the rental of approximately 7,000 holiday homes, employs around 150 full-time staff, and 1,200 hourly workers during the season. The headquarters is located in Hune in North Jutland, but the local presence in coastal areas has always been part of the company's strategy, which is why Sol og Strand Feriehusudlejning now has 27 local offices throughout Denmark.

Kjeld Andersen was visionary, had an international outlook, a knack for good business, and was good with numbers. He mastered mental arithmetic and never used a calculator or a computer for that matter. Kjeld Andersen was unpretentious and a unique individual; he followed his own path – even if it meant wearing slippers when going to a meeting at the bank. There is no doubt that Sol og Strand, with Kjeld Andersen at the forefront, has made its mark in the holiday home rental industry. In 1979, renting summer houses was a niche. Today, the industry contributes to job creation and is a significant part of the economy in many municipalities.

Similarly, he saw opportunities when the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989 – it opened up a significant East German market. Advertisements were placed in German newspapers, where Sol og Strand sought housewives to rent out holiday homes for a commission. They stayed at home and had time to sell holidays in Denmark. The only requirement was that they needed to have a phone, which was far from common in East Germany in 1989. Margit and Kjeld Andersen traveled by train to several East German cities to make agreements with the German housewives, and 30 so-called Denmark agents were hired. They became Sol og Strand's extended arms in a completely new market, which turned out to hold great potential that significantly impacted the company's development and growth. 'We have never followed in others' footsteps – instead, we have followed our own paths,' the couple has previously stated.

Kjeld Andersen was engaged with the world around him and had an inherent curiosity about other cultures, which took the couple to countries such as Antarctica, Mongolia, Peru, Oman, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Tibet, Borneo, Costa Rica, and India. In total, Margit and Kjeld Andersen visited 107 countries.

In 2019, the couple decided to transfer ownership of Sol og Strand Feriehusudlejning to Fonden Sol og Strand by Margit and Kjeld, which supports charitable and humanitarian purposes.

Until the end, Kjeld Andersen was involved with Sol og Strand Feriehusudlejning and Fonden Sol og Strand by Margit and Kjeld. From the property in Brovst, he closely monitored the company's operations, well-being, and took an active part whenever funds were to be distributed from the foundation.

With the foundation, the couple ensured that the business they have always referred to as their 'third child' can continue and develop in Danish hands – even when they are no longer around.

Now Kjeld Andersen is no more, but his and his wife's life's work lives on.

May Kjeld Andersen's memory be honored.