Fundraiser for the Friends of Vanessa Marquez Memorial

Vanessa Marquez was a talented actress who played Ana Delgado in the classic film Stand and Deliver (1988) and Nurse Wendy Goldman on the TV show ER. Because of these and other roles she remains a beloved actress with a legion of fans around the world. She was a pioneer with regards to Latina actresses. Stand and Deliver was one of the earliest films to be directed by a Latino as well as one of the earliest with a primarily Latino cast. At the time that she starred on ER, there were very few Latinas who appeared regularly on television. I have been told that in the Latino community of Southern California, she was royalty. That having been said, Vanessa was more than a talented actress, as she was also a kind, gentle, gracious, and generous woman with many friends in the movie, television, classic film, and Star Wars communities around the world. She was very loyal to her friends and was swift to take up for them if any one of them was attacked. She had an open heart and always accepted people for whom they are. As to myself, Vanessa and I were extremely close. I loved her deeply and I always will. To me she was the most wonderful woman in the world. Sadly, Vanessa Marquez died on August 30 2018 at the age of 49.

Vanessa was estranged from her mother and had little in the way of family. As of this writing no funeral for her has been announced. Because Vanessa was so loved by so many, Cheryl Hansen and other friends are holding a memorial to her on September 22 at 10:00 AM in Arroyo Park in South Pasadena, California. Unfortunately, memorials cost money and so Cheryl Hansen has created a fundraiser to help defray costs. If you are one of the many whose lives were touched by Vanessa, please donate and insure that Vanessa receives a memorial worthy of the talented actress and wonderful woman she was. It would mean the world to me and you would have my eternal gratitude.