Melinda Elizabeth Anthony

Melinda Elizabeth Anthony (née Weaver), of Gazelle, California died on July 4, 2021 at her home, from pancreatic cancer. She was born on August 4, 1947, to Louis and Bunny Weaver, in Hood River, Oregon. She was the first daughter born of the six children, and when Louis returned to the hospital on the day of her birth after milking the cows, the nurse held her up to the window and said, "Mr. Weaver, you have a beautiful red-haired baby girl!" The family moved to Vista, California, and Melinda loved playing outside with her siblings, Bob, Eddy, Patty, Pam, and Gordon. The family would camp, fish, and go to the beach together, and grew food in their garden. After the death of her mother when Melinda was 14, she and Patty helped take care of the younger kids and learned how to cook and make their own clothes. After high school, Melinda transferred from the local community college to one in Aspen, Colorado, and then to the University of Colorado in Boulder, studying design and landscape architecture. During this time, she skied, spent breaks with Mexican family friends in Mexico City, and continued writing a pen pal, Bruce Anthony, who was stationed in the Air Force in California. When he got out of the military he followed her to Colorado, eventually persuading her to marry him. On the way back to California for their wedding, Melinda taught Bruce to hitchhike. The car they were in ran out of gas in a blizzard, and no one had any money. Melinda quietly pulled a 20 dollar bill out of the lining of her down parka, and they were able to make it home. They married on June 18, 1972 in a small ceremony in Vista, where Bruce's parents also lived. Even before the marriage, they loved her and treated her like their own daughter, and she called them Mom and Pop. After moving around in the West, Melinda and Bruce settled down in Siskiyou County. They both enjoyed the outdoors and the natural beauty of the area and spent time exploring, hiking, skiing, and gardening. They bought a house in Gazelle, but spent four years in Portland, Oregon shortly after so that Bruce could attend a fine arts college. In Portland, Melinda worked for Pendleton, creating patterns for the women's clothing department and working with fit models. Melinda loved the artistry and skill of this work and enjoyed working with beautiful fabrics. Daughter Dani was born in Portland, and the family of three moved back to Gazelle in 1984. Although Bruce and Melinda's marriage ended in 2013, they always spoke of each other with great respect and care for one another. In 1988 Melinda began working at the Gazelle Elementary School as an aide and continued this work until her retirement in 2013. She worked with generations of students at the school, and many Gazelle kids and parents remember her fondly because of her kindness, patience, and love. Melinda was passionate about treating all people respectfully, and she had a strong sense of justice which guided her in her work with students, and generally in her life. She went back to school late in life and was one of the original virtual learners, earning her bachelor's degree in 2004 and her teacher's credential in 2005, all through online programs at Chico State University. She was smart and had endless endurance, a quality she greatly admired. In 2013 Melinda was baptized as a Jehovah's Witness, and the last eight years of her life were devoted to this vocation. She was beloved by her congregation and will be greatly missed by them. Her faith and hope were great comforts to her in the last months of her life. Melinda was a loving mother and a caring sister, daughter, grandmother, aunt, friend, and neighbor. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Bunny and Louis Weaver, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Marjorie and Paul Anthony, her brother Eddy, and her sister Pam. She is survived by her daughter Dani Anthony (Dan Benton), her step-grandchildren, Grace and Avery Benton, her ex-husband Bruce, her step-mother, Elvira Weaver, her siblings Bob Weaver (Jean Horn Weaver), Patty Veale, Gordon Weaver (Joan Rielly), and her nieces and nephews Gordon Weaver, Georgia Veale, Joe Weaver (Rachael and step-daughter Ireland), Eric Veale (Jessica), Heidi Forhan (Brannon), Becca Horn Weaver, Dylan Guevara (Alyssa), Micah Veale (Sophie), Kendra Weaver, Johanna Weaver, Carrera Veale, Kyla Forhan, Eli Forhan, and Benson Veale. No services are scheduled for Melinda. Please, no donations, flowers, or gifts. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Melinda Elizabeth Anthony

August 4, 1947 - July 4, 2021