Melva Carrie Anderson

Melva, known to some family members as Aunt Carrie, to others as Aunt Wawa was born 101 years ago in a rural area near North Platte, Nebraska on September 19th to William Olaf and Nora Smith Olson. She was such a tiny baby, she was not expected to survive her first day on earth.Her family came to Oregon in 1935 and upon graduation from Roseburg High School she went to work at Saar’s Pencil Mill.  In 1942 she married a tall handsome Swede named Carl Alfred Anderson of Elgarose, near Melrose, Oregon.Carl and Melva owned and operated numerous businesses in the logging industry before coming to this area. They owned and operated the Antlers Grocery and Gas Station near Hugo, Oregon. When two skunks sprayed below the floor of the grocery store, destroying all of the uncanned merchandise, they decided a change of occupation was needed. Anderson Realty in Rogue River was formed and years later Carl and Melva retired to Medford.Melva is survived by Ed and Theresa Brace of West Evans Creek and numerous nephews and nieces. She was mother to all her family, reminding them to eat the right foods, take their vitamins, avoid doctors, have a quiet hour each day, and keep in contact with close family members.She will be remembered for her keen intellect, persistent sense of humor, and unfaltering loyalty to family and friends. What was told to Melva, stayed with Melva. She was the honored and adored matriarch of the family. All who knew her are richly blessed by her memory.The family wishes to express gratitude first and foremost to Ed and Theresa Brace for being there at all times for her since her husband’s passing in 1991. They took her grocery shopping every week for over 20 years and gave her the moral support she needed to live independently.Thanks too to her friend and neighbor Linda Clark who came in daily to check on her and made wonderful spaghetti dinners for her over four years. To Kim and Dan Vaccher at Rose Cottage Adult Foster Care and their staff in Rogue River, our gratitude for giving Melva some of the kindest and sweetest years of her life. Your excellent and loving care of Melva added years to her life.So with heavy hearts we accept that Melva, our Aunt Carrie, our Aunt Wawa, our matriarch has crossed over and now celebrates her new life with all the family that have gone before her.In remembrance of her, have a “cold one” at 4 pm as she did daily for decades. She asked for her last one the day she died. Skoal!!A memorial for Melva will be held at Elgarose Cemetary in Melrose, west of Roseburg this coming summer.