Former Vice Mayor/CD9 Councilman Val Lerch Passes Away

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Former Vice Mayor/CD9 Councilman Val Lerch Passes Away

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(Nov. 22, 2021, 5:50 a.m.) -- Val Lerch, former CD9 Councilman (2002-2010 incl.two years as Vice Mayor), battling cancer since March 2020, has passed away.

His granddaughter, Tori Ann, wrote on Facebook (Nov. 21)::

This evening my grandpa, Val Lerch, passed away peacefully at home with his family surrounding him. We’d like to thank you all for your love and support over the last month or so since my grandpa was put on hospice. He had so many visitors, phone calls, and text messages, I think he struggled to keep up with them all. I can say each and every one of you made him fight a little longer.
As a family we decided to hold off on services until the new year, so more information will come as the details emerge. Again we appreciate all of the love and support.
Tonight (or tomorrow since it’s late) have a glass of brandy and a cigar for him.

A North Long Beach omnipresence, Mr. Lerch was part of the North Long Beach Redevelopment Project Area Committee (Vice-Chair); North Long Beach Neighborhood Association Deforest Park Chapter (Vice-President); North Long Beach Business Association (Board Member); North Long Beach Community Action Group (Vice President); Citizen Police Complaint Commission (Commissioner); Long Beach Strategic Plan Task Force (Community Safety); Long Beach Veterans Day Parade Committee (Logistic Chair, Committee Chair.)

Mr. Lerch's work on the LB Veterans Day parade from its earliest days reflected his service in the U.S. Coast Guard (June 1969 through March 1993, 12 years active duty + 12 years in the reserves.)

For 15 years, Mr. Lerch provided rock solid support for his wife Janet as she battled the relentlessly debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis. They married in 1971, had two children, and Janet passed away in March 2019.

LBREPORT.com sends our condolences to Mr. Lerch's family and many friends.