Marilyn Palarea

Marilyn (Jacobs) PalareaOctober 2, 1939 – October 13, 2025

 

Marilyn Palarea, née Marilyn Jacobs, passed away peacefully at her home in Long Beach, California, on October 13, 2025, at the age of 86. Born on October 2, 1939, Marilyn’s life was a portrait of devotion — to family, to public service, and to her community.

 

Early Life and Family Heritage

Marilyn was the daughter of Joel and Irene Jacobs, who emigrated from Kisvarda, Hungary, through Ellis Island and settled in New York. From early childhood, Marilyn and her sisters learned the value of self-reliance. The Jacobs family operated a bakery, and Marilyn would often help work there, absorbing lessons of direct communication and personal service. As she later recalled, the bakery days shaped her discomfort with impersonal bureaucracies: “When we worked in the bakery, it was always direct communication, one-to-one, face-to-face … I didn’t understand why [at the hospital] they didn’t just say so.”

Marilyn graduated from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. During her final year at UCLA, she commuted an hour and a half each way because her father had purchased a bakery in Long Beach. The demands at home compelled her to forego many campus extracurriculars. She initially thought to major in journalism but soon gravitated to Political Science, where she studied comparative governments, setting the stage for a life of civic engagement.

 

Meeting Edgar & Family Life

While working as a patient representative at Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach, Marilyn met Dr. Edgar R. Palarea. Their courtship blossomed by spending time together in the hospital’s coffee shop in the summer of 1961, and they were married shortly thereafter in 1962. Their union would last for decades, with Marilyn often standing as his confidante and collaborator in civic life.They raised four children: Richard, Victoria, Russell, and Melissa. Her grandchildren—Alison, Ella, Bryce, Kay, Dane, Ruth, Rebecca, and Philip—were among her greatest joys.

 

Education, Public Service & Civic Engagement

Marilyn’s sense of public duty informed much of her adult life. A proud alumna of UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, she translated her passion into leadership. Governor Pete Wilson appointed her to the California Board of Psychology, where her name appears among staff or appointees in official California Board documents.

 

She served as President of the Los Angeles County Medical Auxiliary, helping support hospital efforts and bridging medical services with community engagement. In the 1980s, Marilyn also ventured into elective politics, running for local office in Long Beach. Her candidacy reflected her belief in civic participation and stewardship.

 

As an active member of Temple Beth Shalom in Bixby Knolls, Marilyn played an integral role in her faith community. Her sons had their bar mitzvahs there, and she maintained enduring friendships through the synagogue.

 

Politically, Marilyn associated with conservative civic groups, including the Lincoln Club, reflecting her longstanding engagement in public policy discussions and community leadership.

 

Personality, Passions & Legacy

Marilyn was, at heart, a traveler and a seeker. She visited numerous countries, embraced foreign cuisines and wines, and maintained a vigorous travel life even into her later years—walking many miles in Europe and Israel, soaking in local cultures. Her love for the arts, politics, and community was woven throughout every chapter of her life.

 

Her professional and volunteer roles were guided by conviction and a sharp mind. She carried lessons from working in the family bakery into every setting, believing in directness, clarity, and human connection.

 

Survivors

Marilyn is survived by her sisters, Carolyn Rosenberg and Lillian Schwartz, and her children Richard, Victoria-Simone, Russell, and Melissa. She leaves behind her beloved grandchildren, Alison, Ella, Bryce, Kay, Dane, Ruth, Rebecca, and Philip. She is preceded by her husband, Dr. Edgar R. Palarea, who passed in 2001.

 

Memorial Service & Remembrance

A funeral service will be held on October 16, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Mount Sinai Memorial Park, 6150 Mount Sinai Drive, Simi Valley, CA 93063 and will be streamed online at https://bit.ly/4qe2Txk. The service will be officiated by Rabbi Menachem Mirski. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Temple Beth Shalom of Long Beach (tbslb.org) and The David Horowitz Freedom Center (horowitzfreedomcenter.org). Her children will receive visitors at the family home in Long Beach, CA, from 3 - 5 PM