The Goleta City Council remembered former mayor, council woman and planning commissioner Jonny Wallis on Tuesday night at its regularly scheduled council meeting.

Wallis passed away on Nov. 3 after several months of illness. She is remembered for her quiet confidence and her unwavering commitment to the city and to Old Town.

She was co-founder of GoletaNow! and a key proponent for cityhood.

Wallis was elected to the City Council in 2001 and re-elected in 2004. She served as mayor in 2006 and mayor pro tempore in 2005. She was chair of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments in 2007. After completing two terms on the council, Wallis was appointed to the Goleta Planning Commission where she served from January 2009 until stepping down earlier this year.

Wallis was a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and held a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles.

Her family has chosen to mourn privately and no services are planned. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following organizations in Wallis’ honor: K-9 PALS, P.O. Box 60755, Santa Barbara, CA 93160-0755, or Direct Relief International, 27 S. La Patera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93117.

“Jonny was part of Goleta’s fabric, and her passing is a great loss to all of us,” Mayor Roger Aceves said. “We are grateful for her leadership and strength in creating the city we call home. She will be truly missed.”

— Valerie Kushnerov is a public information officer for the City of Goleta.