Los Rios Community College Chancellor Found Dead at Home in Apparent Suicide

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — Los Rios Community College Chancellor Marjorie K. Blaha, who led the 55,000-student district for the last three years, was found dead in her home.

The Sacramento County coroner’s office called Blaha’s death a probable suicide.

Blaha, 58, was found Friday afternoon in her garage, with the engine of her car running, by a neighbor and two district staff members who went to her home when Blaha missed three scheduled meetings.

The chancellor was in good health and had shown no signs of despondency, her family and co-workers said.

“Everybody in the district is deeply devastated,” said Fred Dawkins, president of the Los Rios Board of Trustees.

“She’s been very progressive and forward thinking,” he said. “All the students owe her a debt of gratitude.”

Blaha was appointed chancellor of the Los Rios district, which includes the Sacramento City, American River and Cosumnes River campuses, in 1989. In 1991, she was named National Community College President of the Year.

She was largely responsible for the district’s new $105-million, 15,000-student Folsom Lake campus, the first completely new community college in the state in 20 years. It was set to receive final approval Monday from the California Postsecondary Education Commission.

Blaha is survived by her husband of 37 years, Carl Blaha, and two children.