Alyssa Anderson

Obituary of Alyssa Frances Anderson

Alyssa Frances Anderson (1977-2020) passed away suddenly on Saturday, Nov. 28 following a brief illness. She is survived by her daughter, Lola Anderson Latham; husband, Jason Latham mother, Monica Anderson; father, David Anderson; sister Kate Gray and brother-in-law Adam Gray; nieces Ruby and Violet Gray; numerous loving family members and a community of close friends.

 

Alyssa was born October 5, 1977, in Fullerton, California and attended Rosary Academy prior to graduating from San Diego State University. She began her career in broadcast news as a regional producer for NBC News and, in 2002, she joined KVBC-TV (now KSNV-TV) in Las Vegas.

 

Immediately after arriving in Las Vegas, Alyssa met her future husband, Jason. The two worked for several years together in the KVBC-TV newsroom and began a relationship that blossomed into forever love. Alyssa and Jason married in 2008; their daughter, Lola, was born in the summer of 2012 and became the love of both their lives.

 

Alyssa left broadcast news in 2005 to launch a career in public relations. Though she was new to the field, she earned a position at The Firm Public Relations and Marketing and grew to become a respected member of their team. In 2010, following a brief stint as the head of her own agency, A-List Media, Alyssa joined the grand opening team of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, helping to launch the resort to global acclaim and numerous accolades.

 

Though her career captured much of her attention, Alyssa was committed to supporting the community that had given her so much. She did so by joining the board of Communities in Schools Nevada, a position that allowed her to focus on education and the needs of young students. Much of that passion was rooted in her love for Lola, and every day she worked to set an example that kindness and curiosity will take you far in life.

 

Alyssa left Las Vegas in 2014, relocating to Seattle and then San Diego with Jason and Lola, where she was able to live close to her wonderful sister, Kate, and many other family members in Southern California. After two years away from Las Vegas, Alyssa was asked to return to the city and serve as Vice President of Public Relations for The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts. She accepted the role with great enthusiasm and went on to lead an incredible team of professionals for more than four years.

 

As much as Alyssa loved her work, she loved her family and friends even more. Her busy schedule never kept her from welcoming visiting relatives to town, or from planning a quick weekend trip out of town with the girls.

 

On March 13, 2020, Alyssa was diagnosed with cancer. She underwent a successful surgery and a difficult first round of treatment, yet she remained optimistic and continued to work and live her life to the fullest throughout the summer. In October, just prior to her 43rd birthday, she learned that the cancer had not been eliminated, and she immediately began a second round of treatment. Alyssa passed just two days after celebrating Thanksgiving with her family.

 

Alyssa Anderson was a model of caring, patience, and positivity who flooded the world with joy. She spoke often of how lucky she was to have the life that she built with her family, and always believed that the brightest days were just around the corner. 

 

She was more than we ever deserved.

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