Remembering Ann Erdman

A host of larger-than-life personalities have called Pasadena home over the decades, but only a few of these forces of nature could claim a heart of gold. One that met that standard was Ann Erdman, who died at 74 earlier this week.

Perhaps best known locally as the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the City of Pasadena from 1991 to her retirement in 2011, Erdman was a friend, a colleague and a real character.

Other reporters have written otherwise well-researched obituaries about Erdman, but none I’ve read mentioned that her full name was Martha Ann Erdman. She never liked being called Martha or, worse, Martha Ann, and referring to her in that manner was a sure way to become the target of a good-natured glare. Family members and those blissfully unaware of her preference were exempt of course, which included nurses calling out the forbidden name “Martha” in outpatient waiting rooms.

And Erdman was in a lot of outpatient waiting rooms after retirement. Her health problems seemed to multiply quickly and she no longer felt safe driving. She initially resisted but eventually succumbed to my offer to occasionally chauffeur her to medical appointments and even to a meeting at the Pasadena Media studios.

Fellow San Diego State University grads, she representing the English department and this reporter doing his best to disgrace the Journalism school, we first met as members appointed to the Pasadena Community Access Corporation Board of Directors. Erdman represented the City and I initially represented Pasadena Unified on the board.

That’s when I found out why she relocated to Pasadena from Palm Springs, where she worked as the city spokesperson for Mayor Sonny Bono.

“After Sonny died, the job wasn’t as much fun,” said Erdman. “If he hadn’t skied into a tree, I’d probably still be there.”

That was a typical Erdman perspective: If you are enjoying yourself, keep the party going. If you aren’t having fun, it’s time to find another party.

Several over-the-top events come to mind when thinking of Erdman. Some of her obits mentioned that Erdman was, so far, the only person to have ridden down Colorado Boulevard as an official part of both the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Doo Dah Parade. But there were always bits of silliness involving Erdman between the more publicized events.

I’m not sure which of us bet the other, but I recall a Halloween-season competition to determine whether members of the City of Pasadena staff or the Pasadena Unified staff could underhand toss more lemons into the smallest basin of the City Hall Courtyard fountain.

Erdman suggested it would only be fair to do so from the City Hall bridge walkway. Cynthia Kurtz, the City Manager at the time, came dressed as a princess and wielded a magic wand (with built-in sound effects) to judge the epic competition.

City staff triumphed that day, with Kurtz adjudicating the use of “ringers” accused of sneaking-in to practice lemon tossing in advance. It was a hoot, and helped to bring the two civic government organizations closer together.

Everyone went home with free lemons.

Erdman’s retirement party, held at Pasadena’s historic landmark Castle Green, was a who’s who of city luminaries past and present. There was a decidedly orgasmic welcome-to-retirement chant from “Princess Hahamongna,” and Erdman sang classic songbook tunes in a unique key many of us have never been able to accurately identify.

Most of the guests eventually found their way to the bar, where the signature cocktail of the evening was the aptly named “Lady of Leisure.”

A variation of the classic French Martini, Erdman’s version was:

Lady of Leisure

• Vodka (1 oz.)
• Chambord (½ oz.)
• Cointreau (¼ oz.)
• Pineapple Juice (1 oz.)
• Lemon Juice (dash)
• Shaken with ice and garnished with a lemon twist

This may be the first time an obituary of a Pasadena news maker has ever featured a vodka cocktail recipe, but somehow it seems like the right thing to include and it will definitely get a party started.

Ann would have approved.