Darella Jean Anderson

Darella Jean “DJ” Melton Anderson was born in San Diego, California on January 30, 1943, the second child of Genevieve (Yost) and Jesse Darel Melton. She grew up in San Diego, British Columbia, Canada, and El Cajon, graduating from El Cajon Valley High School in 1961, when she chose her senior quote as “Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.”

Darella married Richard Gerard Anderson on February 3, 1962, in Winterhaven, California. They were married for 54 years and had two children.

When her children were old enough for school, Darella took on the job of church secretary, which she held for the next 31 years. She also became a member of the executive board for Children’s Paradise Preschool. Her weekdays extended into the weekends when she became Sunday school preschool director. Throughout the years, she participated in numerous church committees, but her true passion lay in teaching and supporting pre-school children and their families. Darella's dedication to her church community was well-known, as she actively contributed to Paradise Hills Southern Baptist Church for over fifty years.  The church is now known as Catalyst Church.

After retiring, DJ found it hard to stay idle. She joined the Southern Baptist disaster relief team, where she cooked and managed food kitchens during natural disasters in Florida, Texas, and her hometown of San Diego for more than 10 years. Notably, she organized the kitchen at Petco Park during the wildfires of 2003. DJ also embraced her father's passion for photography, capturing moments at family gatherings and the stunning landscapes she encountered on her journeys. In addition to photography, she enjoyed sewing, collecting keys and keychains, and participating in the Rediscover San Diego program, which offered her exclusive access to local landmarks.

Retirement also gave her more free time to flex her organizing skills, sometimes for clients and more often for family and friends. She had the ability to ask the right questions to facilitate a clear out and tidy up without fuss.

DJ had a passion for travel and enjoyed gathering books from every destination she explored. Whenever her children or grandchildren celebrated significant milestones, she would make it a point to be there, whether by car or plane, to capture the moments and share her love and support in person. She cherished the opportunity to learn and discover new places, whether it was car camping across the western U.S. with her sister-in-law, Betty, or embarking on international cruises with her family. She had just returned from celebrating her 82nd birthday on a Caribbean cruise with her children when she fell ill.

When cancer entered DJ's life in the summer of 2018, she adopted a plant-based diet. She experimented with new recipes, frequently inviting her friends and family to try them out. Some were thoroughly enjoyed, some not so much. This dietary change enhanced her overall health and energy levels. In fact, when hospice staff came to assess her just a week before she passed away, they were hesitant to accept her case because she seemed so vibrant. She looked and felt great. It was only after DJ revealed that she was functioning at less than 50% of her usual capacity that they agreed to take her on.

During her final month, she found herself missing her group Bible study. It was her custom to collect the (more) senior ladies, drive them to the study, then enjoy a meal and a game of Five Crowns at someone’s home afterward. This was something she looked forward to every week.

Darella is survived by her siblings, Robert (Colleen) Melton of Wenatchee, WA, and Glenda (James Lee) Young of Seguin, TX; her children, Wanda (Tyrone) Robinson, Ph.D., of Shawnee, OK, and Wesley (Aimee) Anderson, pastor and Police Chaplain of Chula Vista, CA; four grandchildren, Jordan (Stacy) Robinson of Greenwood, IN, Aaron Anderson (Alberto Montenegro) of San Diego, CA, Kallie (Gabriel) Morales of Chula Vista, CA, and Jasmine Robinson, M.D., of Los Angeles, CA; two great-grandchildren, Sophia Morales and Miles Robinson, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

On April 2, 2025, less than a month after discovering that her cancer had spread, surrounded by her loved ones, Darella peacefully and confidently transitioned from her earthly tent to her heavenly home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus. She accomplished so many wonderful things in her life because her heart was willing. DJ was an independent and active woman of faith. She was a motivational, supportive force in the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing her.