After a few years in the shipping trade he began working at the Royal Automobile Club (KAK) where he met Astrid Lindgren (then Ericsson). When Astrid and Sture married, at Easter in 1931, Astrid’s son Lasse was given Sture's surname, and in 1934 the couple’s daughter Karin was born. After the wedding Astrid became a housewife. But she continued helping her husband when required, for example by editing various publications or assisting as a ‘competition-secretary’ at large motor events.

In 1940 Sture Lindgren was recruited by the Swedish Automobile Association to become their CEO, a position he held until his death. He dedicated almost his entire working life to the automobile business despite being totally uninterested in cars and never getting his license. He lobbied for right-hand traffic and for the development of wood gas vehicles. In 1943 he also made sure that the organisation got its own magazine, which became known as ‘Motor’. He was involved in many international projects and Astrid accompanied him on several longer trips. Sture Lindgren was a kind, humorous man who liked spending time in the company of good friends at various Stockholm restaurants. Astrid sometimes joined him, but often preferred to stay at home with a good book.

Sture passed away on June 15th 1952 in Stockholm. Astrid Lindgren never remarried, she was a widow for nearly fifty years.