Mary Palolo Anderson

Mary Palolo Anderson “Mele” was born in American Samoa on January 4, 1948 to Sua Putuga and Palolo Potasi, the oldest daughter of eight other siblings. She grew up in San Diego, California, where she attended elementary, middle, and high school. Before moving to Carson, she completed her studies, receiving her certification, and graduating from Friendship Homes Nursing School. She has been a long-time resident of Carson, California.

When Mele was 21, she married Va’a Luafalemana and from this union she was blessed with three children, Wayne, Penina, and Tara, the source of her joy, one that has given her life meaning and purpose. In the early 1980’s she met Bob Anderson, eventually marrying him in 2001, the two being completely devoted to each other, helping to bring up her children and welcoming their expanding family of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mele worked for a short time for various companies at different stages in her life but was mostly a stay-at-home mother, an auntie who cared for her sister Pam’s three small children (while Pam went to work), and an auntie who cared for Pai and Larry’s little ones whenever her siblings needed her, a sister who would cook up their mother’s special chop suey on demand, and a loving wife to Bob. Her devotion and love for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and their devotion to her has remained steadfast.

Throughout her life, Mele has enjoyed the numerous family gatherings, the potlucks, laughter and music, and going to bingo with her friends. With Christ in her life, she has enjoyed reading scripture and passing on favorite proverbs or verses from the Bible to those she loved who might appreciate its wisdom or be comforted by it. She attended Carson Bible Church and regularly attended Calvary Chapel in Torrance. When she moved to Camarillo staying with her sister Fiapai, to care for her mother, she attended Pleasant Valley Bible Church and Grace Community in Sun Valley. Caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s as she has often said was an honor and one of the most rewarding experiences of her life, an opportunity to in a small way return the love she had received. Her faith in Jesus Christ together with the Christian friends she has made along the way, and her close-knit family, has strengthened her belief and love. Mele went to Heaven on October 13, 2019.

She is survived by her three children: Wayne, Penina, and Tara; her seven grandchildren: Brittney, Oloa, Christian, Elijah, Kasey, Laneah, and Te’aloha; her 10 great grandchildren: Veni, Evelyn, Kaliyah, Kingston, Elijah, Giovanni, Joseph, Jay, and Jazzilynne-Nicole. Her siblings are: Johnny, Jack, (Simi deceased) Dorothy, Larry, Pamela, Fiapa’i, and Iliganoa.