Maruta Gardner

Maruta Rubens Gardner (February 20, 1947 – February 13, 2016)[1][2] was an American community activist and public school administrator serving in the roles of teacher, vice principal, principal, and assistant superintendent of schools[3] in San Diego County, California.

Maruta Gardner
Born
Maruta Rubens

(1947-02-20)February 20, 1947
DiedFebruary 13, 2016(2016-02-13) (aged 68)
San Diego, California, U.S.
EducationParsons College
San Diego State University
University of Southern California
OccupationEducator
Known forSchool administration
Graffiti cleanup

Education and early life

Gardner graduated in 1965 from Irvington High School in Irvington, New Jersey.[4] She then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1969 from Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, where she served as president of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Maruta received a Master of Arts in administration and supervision in 1976 from San Diego State University, and a doctorate in administration in 1988[5] from the University of Southern California.[4]

Career

Gardner worked for 38 years in public education,[6] teaching school before becoming an administrator, vice principal, a principal at Mission Bay High School,[7] assistant superintendent of the Poway Unified School District, and an instructional leader at the Institute for Learning at San Diego Unified School District.[8] When Gardner retired in 2008, she was the executive director of the San Diego County Office of Education, Juvenile Court and Community Schools.[5]

Community work

Gardner, beginning in 1990, chaired the Mission Beach Town Council's Graffiti Patrol.[6] Before painting over graffiti in the beach area, Gardner would take photos and then send them to the San Diego Police Department's gang unit so officers could identify the gangs to which the graffiti was tied. The police department deputized her and gave her an honorary badge, making her graffiti-abatement role official.[9] For more than 20 years, Gardner, riding a three-wheeled bicycle, hauled supplies and paint as she pedaled to different spots in the beach area to paint over graffiti in an effort to improve the community.[10][11] Gardner also was a former president of the Mission Beach Women's Club.[12] At the time of her death, Gardner sat on the City of San Diego's Consolidated Plan Advisory Board.[13]

Fatal crash

Gardner died from a severe head injury in February 2016 in what police called a road rage-fueled hit-and-run crash by a drunken driver as Gardner removed graffiti from a beach wall. The driver, Jonathan Domingo Garcia, 23, was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and felony hit-and-run.[2] He pleaded guilty in June to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and was sentenced in 2016 to 11 years in a California State Prison.[7]

Recognition

Three months before Gardner's unexpected death, the City of San Diego in 2015 declared November 3 as Maruta Gardner Day in recognition of Gardner's years of service to the community through the Mission Beach Women's Club, for her graffiti eradication work in the Mission Beach and Pacific Beach communities, and for her efforts through the woman's club to upgrade a playground at Bonita Cove, Mission Beach, through the "Play by the Bay" fundraising effort.[14]

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, at a November 2019 groundbreaking of a $3.4 million renovation of the playground at Mission Bay Park, officially renamed the Bonita Cove Playground after Gardner.[15]

Every November 3 since Gardner's death, residents participate in a beach cleanup as a continuing memorial to her and to honor her dedication to community service.[16]

A large mural, painted on a Mission Bay High School wall by artist John Vallas, was unveiled in Gardner's memory in 2017.[17]

Scholarship

In 2017, Gardner's Irvington High School class of 1965 designated funds for a Maruta Rubens Gardner Scholarship, which was awarded in a ceremony to graduating senior Ashley Moreno.[4]

Awards
  • Outstanding Educator by the Association of California School Administrators 1988-1989[5]
  • Distinguished Leader by the San Diego Administrators Association 1989-1990 and 2005-2006[5]
  • Administrator of the Year in 1990 by the Council of Exceptional Children[5]
  • Woman of Achievement in 2001 by the San Diego Council of Administrative Women in Education[5]
  • Tribute to Women and Industry Honoree 2005[5]
  • Volunteer of the Year 2003 by the Mission Beach Town Council[6]

Personal life

Gardner was married for 50 years to William Gardner, and the couple resided in Mission Beach.[12]

References
  1. "Maruta Rubens Gardner Obituary - San Diego, CA". Dignity Memorial.
  2. "Man accused of killing activist in DUI crash must stand trial". KFMB.
  3. Davis, Kristina; Repard, Pauline; Hernandez, David (February 14, 2016). "Activist painting over graffiti killed by driver in road-rage incident, police say". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "Irvington High School Ceremony". www.ihsasmf.com.
  5. "Maruta Rubens Gardner, PC '69" (PDF). Parsons College E-News. Summer 2016.
  6. "Maruta R. Gardner Day Presented by Councilmember Lorie Zapf" (PDF). November 3, 2015 – via dockets.sandiego.gov.
  7. "Eleven years behind bars for the man who killed Mission Beach activist". KFMB. August 30, 2016.
  8. Zimmerman, Eilene (June 29, 2007). "Grading San Diego High Schools". San Diego Magazine.
  9. Schwab, Dave (March 8, 2016). "Community mourns Maruta Gardner at Mission Beach memorial". San Diego Community News Group.
  10. Garske, Monica; Bledsoe, Greg. "Victim Killed in Suspected DUI Hit-and-Run Was 'Heart and Soul' of Mission Beach". NBC 7 San Diego.
  11. Staff, NBC 7 (Mar 22, 2016). "Medical Examiner: Woman Cleaning Up Graffiti Was in Street When Hit". NBC 7 San Diego.
  12. DiBono, Misha (February 15, 2016). "Friends remember Maruta Gardener of Mission Beach". Fox 5 San Diego.
  13. "City of San Diego - Consolidated Plan Advisory Board" (PDF). October 3, 2014.
  14. "Beach communities come together for Maruta Gardner Day". San Diego Community News Group. October 31, 2017.
  15. CBS News 8 Team (November 12, 2019). "City officials name playground in Mission Beach after beloved community activist". CBS News 8.
  16. "Maruta Gardner Day set for Nov. 3". San Diego Community News Group. November 2, 2019.
  17. Aarons, Jared (November 1, 2017). "Community plans day of service to honor fallen 'Graffiti Lady'". Scripps Media.
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