She Will Forever Be Missed

Lupe Muñoz-Alvarado

Remembering Lupe

This site was created in memory of our
Lupe Muñoz-Alvarado.
Our loving Wife, Daughter, Sister, and Nina.

Story

Born in California

DECEMBER 8TH, 1963

Maria Guadalupe (Lupe) Muñoz was always in charge! As the second eldest of six children growing up in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, she helped her parents keep the household running on an efficient regimen. Attending Catholic school from first grade at Santa Teresita Elementary through her senior year at St. Mary’s High School in Lincoln Heights, she was known as an exemplary student, friend, and leader graduating as Class President.

She was soon recommended, interviewed, and accepted to the City of Los Angeles Youth Advisory Council to represent her council district with Mayor Tom Bradley for a two-year appointment. She served while attending Cal State Los Angeles, where she later earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Child Development. Always excelling in her projects, she became Youth Council President, and in 1983 along with Council Vice President and future City Councilwoman and City Controller Wendy Greuel she interviewed and appointed a young Luis Alvarado to represent the 10th Council District.

After completing her two-year appointment, Lupe attended Cal State Los Angeles full-time, but her mentor, Olivia Mitchell, offered her a position in the Department of Youth Development as Deputy Mayor. Her passion was always centered on ensuring that children were heard and supported. She continued her service for several years before transitioning to various roles within the Los Angeles Unified School District. Her tenure there ranged from teaching in the classroom to serving in several administrative roles at Hollenbeck Junior High School and the Regional Headquarters, under Chicana leader Vicky Castro.

Eventually, she found an opportunity to join Great Minds in STEM, a three-decade-old education nonprofit dedicated to promoting science programs and recruitment for underrepresented students. Alongside great friends, she worked to help fulfill the vision of the Mellado family in elevating our community through educational opportunities. There, she honed her focus on helping classroom teachers bridge the gap between the recruitment challenges of underrepresented communities and America’s corporate need for a diverse, science-based workforce.

In the middle of Lupe’s professional career years after our tenure at L.A. City Hall we reconnected and formed a strong friendship that blossomed into romance and the grand adventure called marriage. Our shared commitments were to each other, to strengthening our faith, and to supporting our families. She supported my entrepreneurial ventures as I left a secure managerial career in the hospitality industry to become a risk management consultant, insurance broker,
catering co-owner, and later, a political strategist.

We loved to travel but she hated to fly! So, we drove everywhere, especially to wineries and foodie restaurants. We enjoyed a little bit of camping, and for ten years we were small yacht owners. In the end, we became avid cruise enthusiasts and occasionally took our moms and family to local casinos. Always no matter where we were we made sure to attend Mass.