Marcella Calderon passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer on Sunday, January 1st.  She was 52 years old.

Marcella was born in Los Angeles, California on July 26, 1959.  She was one of 6 children born to Lupe Vasquez and Arthur Vasquez.  She was a product of the Montebello Unified School District and graduated from Bell Gardens High School in 1977.  Marcella was elected Student Body President at East Los Angeles College and served as Miss Commerce in 1980.  She met her husband, Tom Calderon, while registering voters at a local Democratic Party Headquarters in 1982.

Marcella was an active leader in local and state politics for nearly three decades.  In 1986, along with her husband, she established Calderon & Associates, a Public and Governmental Relations firm credited with successfully electing over 75 local and state officials from throughout Southern California along with advocating on a number of local, state and national policy issues.

Marcella was actively involved in local public schools for much of her adult life.  As a parent volunteer, she played an integral role in helping obtain the largest school bond measure in the district’s history, generating millions of dollars for local kids and schools.  She served on the ratings board of the Motion Picture Association of America for a number of years.

She won election to the Montebello Unified School District Board of Education in 1999 and was subsequently re-elected in 2003, 2007 and 2011.  In 2001, she became the first Latina in district history to serve as School Board President.  As a Board Member, she was committed to raising student achievement and ensuring the School District was accountable to the community.

Marcella helped spearhead the development of the Montebello Unified School District’s newest high school – the Applied Technology Center (ATC).  The ATC melds college-focused A-G instruction with state-of-the-art technical training to ensure students are prepared to either pursue postsecondary education or become immediately employed in a vocational field.

Marcella was part of a politically active family with deep local roots and an unprecedented record of representing the area in local and state government.  Her husband, Tom Calderon, is a former member of the California State Assembly and Montebello Unified School District Board of Trustees.  Her brother-in-laws, Charles Calderon and Ron Calderon, have both served the area in the California State Assembly and State Senate.  Marcella was the first and only female member of the family to hold public office.

Marcella lived in Montebello and is survived by her husband, Tom, and their two children, Cameron and Victoria.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to the Marcella Calderon Memorial Fund (728 W. Edna Place, Covina, CA 91722). Cards can be mailed to Tom Calderon, PO Box 1122. Montebello, CA 90640.

A public memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 14th at the Applied Technology Center (1200 W Mines Ave, Montebello, CA 90640) at 1:00 PM.

To RSVP contact (323) 389-1851 or marcellacalderonmemorial@gmail.com.

Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Eric C. Bauman released the following statement on the local and municipal elections in LA County:

“Last night, the voters across Los Angeles County made their voice heard in determining the future of our local communities during this critical time, and the result could not be any clearer.”

“Nearly 70% of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party’s 60 endorsed candidates won their local races or are too close to call, including 15 non-incumbents.  Additionally, more than 70% of LACDP’s endorsed ballot measure positions prevailed.  The election results a testament of the Los Angeles County voters’ trust and confidence in the Democratic Party’s official endorsements in local elections.”

“The Los Angeles County Democratic Party stands firm in our commitment to the people of Los Angeles – from ensuring a first-class education for our kids to electing Councilmembers who will fight tirelessly to create jobs, strengthen our economy, and support crucial local services.  On behalf of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, I congratulate all winning candidates on their success.  We look forward to working with them in moving Los Angeles County forward, neighborhood by neighborhood.”