Anita Brodde Lamb passed away peacefully in Hospice care near her Florida home, surrounded by family on August 19, 2025, just five days after the death of her beloved husband, Gordon.

Born December 12, 1937, in Sveg, Sweden, Anita was the daughter of the late Anna Christina and Gunnar Dryselius, who served in the Swedish Foreign Service with distinction; their diplomatic mission efforts during World War II earned the prestigious Order of the Polar Star. Diplomatic life shaped Anita's early years, which spanned three continents, beginning with a move to Buenos Aires, where she lived her first six years and learned Spanish as her first language. In 1944, the family returned to Stockholm, and three years later, her father's appointment to Vice Consul precipitated a move to New York City. Then ten years old, Anita enrolled in an American public school without knowing English, a challenge she met with quiet determination and resilience that would become hallmarks of her character. In 1950, the family was posted in Houston, where her father served as Consul General, and she adapted once again to a new home and community.

While her parents remained Swedish citizens throughout their diplomatic career, it was in the late 1950s when Anita chose to naturalize as a U.S. citizen – marking an important transition in her personal identity and her commitment to making America her permanent home. After two years at the University of Colorado, she enrolled in Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School for what she considered more practical training. It was during this time in Houston that she met Gordon Lamb, a geologist, Navy pilot, and her escort to a debutante ball. Soon began a courtship that developed into a lifelong partnership and marriage of 66 years. As a couple, they moved to New York City where Anita worked for a major publishing house before starting a family. She and Gordon eventually settled in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, where they raised three children, established lifelong friendships, and built a vibrant life over the next 47 years before retiring to Florida.

An accomplished artist, Anita's creative journey began at the age of fifteen with ceramics and sculpture classes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Her mother, a passionate painter, nurtured her creative spirit through example, museum visits and art history lessons. As an adult, Anita pursued formal training at The Sculpture House, The Art League of Long Island, The Art Students League, The National Academy of Design, and Parsons School of Design, where she ultimately completed her undergraduate education, earning a BFA.

Anita cultivated a broad network of fun, creative women friends on Long Island. Once her children were in school, she and a close circle collectively founded Gilliwrinkles, an arts and crafts cooperative that donated most of its proceeds to charitable causes. Perhaps best known for her Long Island landscape paintings, Anita credited this focus to a trip she made to Sweden as an adult, when she was "overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape." Returning to her home of the past two decades, she found herself equally captivated by the North Shore coastal landscape. This sparked years of painting what she called "Our Common Living Room." Her award-winning work is held in both private and public collections. Over the years, she participated in juried exhibitions and invitational shows throughout VT, CT and NY, most notably at Gallery North, in Setauket, Long Island. After she and Gordon became Florida residents, Anita found inspiration in a new landscape, often painting the birds and plants in their native habitats. She also made connections in the local art community, becoming a Guild Member at The Lighthouse for the Arts Museum in Tequesta, and a Member of the Artist Registry of the Cultural Arts Center in Stuart.

Her commitment to the arts went beyond her practice. As a trustee, she directed charitable funds to the Art League of Long Island, Heckscher Museum, Arts Council of Martin County, Visionary School of Arts, and Women Supporting The Arts. She served on boards combining leadership with philanthropy, and devoted 25 years to St. John's Altar Guild.

While gardening, tennis, golf, and bridge were among Anita's many interests, nothing was more meaningful to her than family and friends. She followed her children's and grandchildren's lives with devoted attention. With an extraordinary memory for life's details—birthdays, milestones, significant others, and personal interests—she would always begin conversations with thoughtful questions seeking updates on what mattered most to each. She possessed a rare gift for elevating the ordinary into something special. Her ability to find and create beauty, perhaps as importantly to help others see it too, became her lasting legacy.

Anita is survived by her siblings, Gunilla Norris and Jan Dryselius; her children: Bradford Lamb (m. Rebecca Lamb), Susanna Lamb, and Faith Rushford (m. Tim Rushford); and seven grandchildren. Our dearest Anita, Älskade mamma, Ani, will be missed and forever appreciated by those who knew and loved her. Twenty-five years ago, she re-established a family tradition of gathering at Squam Lake in NH. The family looks forward to returning there to celebrate Anita's life, and Gordon's, in a meaningful way at a time still to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Visionary School of Arts in Stuart, FL.