Schools
Larry Urdahl Dies in Arizona; Led Grossmont HS District School Board
Former colleagues and family mourn his death from liver cancer at a hospital in Sedona.
Former Grossmont Union High School District board president Larry Urdahl died Wednesday of liver cancer at a hospital in Sedona, AZ, East County Magazine reported late Saturday.
He was 68.
“I last spoke to him right after the election, when he called to congratulate me,” school board member Priscilla Schreiber was quoted as saying. “I got to tell him how much I loved him and how grateful I was to have him as a friend, a confidant, and former board colleague. He affectionately called me, Mrs. T for Trouble and I will miss his calls with that greeting.”
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According to his LinkedIn profile, Urdahl was founder of American Portfolio in Sedona. And with his wife, Rose, he operated a Sedona gallery called Rose's Elegance in Wood.
In her East County Magazine report, editor Miriam Raftery wrote:
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In the 2006 election, Urdahl endorsed Democrat Ken Sobel and independent Dick Hoy. Hoy won, creating a new majority along with Urdahl and Schreiber. But in what Schreiber described as “payback,” a vicious campaign to oust Urdahl in 2008 was launched. Opponents attacked Urdahl for personal financial troubles and made unsubstantiated allegations related to campaign financing. Urdahl lost his reelection bid, but not before accomplishing significant goals.
Raftery quoted Alpine high school advocate Sal Casamissima as saying: “Larry’s name has come up frequently in recent weeks as he almost single-handedly gathered the necessary signature petitions for Alpine’s first unification effort almost a decade ago. We are now trying to replicate his success in our current petition effort and our best tribute to him will be to meet that goal.”
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