Mar Vista Family Center Mourns the Loss of Founder Monte Factor

Monte Factor, the founder of the died on Dec. 5 at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, reports the Los Angeles Times. He was 94.

Factor founded the Mar Vista Family Center in Culver City  - an organization dedicated to providing low-income families with quality early childhood education, youth enrichment, and educational tools - with his wife, Betty, in 1977.

Patch contacted Mar Vista Family Center CEO Lucia Diaz to share her thoughts on Factor’s passing and she sent the following letter:

With sadness we communicate the lost of our great leader Monte Factor.  Monte was one of the people who contributed to the success of the Mar Vista Family Center. Monte was the first MVFC Board Chair and the greatest supporter for over 30 years, alongside his wife, MVFC founder, Betty Factor, who also passed five years ago. 

Monte was a great advocate for the Mar Vista Family Center and the members of this community. Monte contributed even in the smallest of ways by playing Santa for the preschoolers for over 20 years. Staff members and families remember him with an amazing spirit full of positivity every time he participated in events or was visiting the Center.

Monte was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend and more than anything, an incredible human being. Both Betty and Monte worked together to create a safer community, leaving a legacy that we can follow.

Monte was one of my mentors and I am deeply saddened by his passing and grateful to have had him as part of my life.

Factor was also known as the ‘haberdasher to the stars’ and an arts patron who also co-founded the End Hunger Network.

Read the full obituary in the Los Angeles Times.

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