December 1, 1928 – April 7, 2024

Anita Melin, a long-time fixture of the North Lake Tahoe community, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2024, at the age of 95 after a prolonged decline in her health. She was truly a one-of-a-kind gem who brought laughter and joy to everyone she met.
Anita was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 1, 1928. Her family was hit hard by the turbulent times of the Great Depression. In spite of owning a successful construction business, Anita’s father had to send his wife, son, and Anita to Sweden as he got himself back on his feet. After spending several years in Sweden, Anita was able to return to the states with her family and reunite with her father. Despite being back in her home country, Anita was never truly able to have a home and establish roots in one place as the nature of her father’s business kept the family constantly moving. It was while living in Iron Mountain, Michigan, Anita met the love of her life, Ragnar (Rags). The two married in 1950 and had three children: Linda, Carl, and Gary.
Early on in their marriage, the family moved to La Habra Heights, a suburb of Los Angeles. Anita loved the hills of La Habra Heights, their home there, and the multitude of fruit trees which grew on and around their property. Fortunately for the Melin family, Rags grew tired of the city life of Los Angeles and was awarded the position of Chief Building Inspector in Tahoe City in 1964. Given their established lives in LA and love of their home, Anita’s one condition for the move was that the family eventually acquire a lake-front home. On May 20, 1968, they did just that. The Melin family moved into what would become their cherished house in Carnelian Bay.
For over 50 years, Anita enjoyed the tranquility and blue waters of Carnelian Bay. Anita found joy in being an at-home mom. For over 25 years, she met on an almost weekly basis with her beloved Panguingue/Pan group. Anita was well-known among the group for hosting at the best location in the rotation and for serving the best snacks which included See’s Candies. The close-knit Pan group was an indelible part of her life where all the ladies acted as a support group to one another and shared the joys and challenges of life along the way.
In addition to being a wonderful wife and mother, Anita was equally as wonderful as a grandmother and great grandmother. Anita and Rags were blessed with four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren completing her very close-knit family. Anita loved watching them all grow and was immensely proud of each one of them. As her love Rags once said with a wink and a grin, “There isn’t a loser in the bunch!”
Aside from her longevity, generosity, wisdom, infectious humor and quick-wit, Anita was known for her positive attitude and outlook on life. Around ten years before her passing, Anita reflected to one of her grandsons, “It was a good life.” She reminded him, “Every day is such a treasure, every day is a gift.”