Colton Mayor Mourned

He served only seven months as Colton Mayor, but friends and colleagues say David R. Zamora left his mark on the city.

Mr. Zamora died at 1:40 p.m. Thursday in Loma Linda University Medical Center’s Emergency room. He was 56.

The mayor had left the Civic Center and was driving home on La Cadena Road when city officials said he suffered a heart attack. He lost control of his Ford F-250, made a turn on DeBerry Street and then a U-turn, clipped a curb, sideswiped a pole and then came to a stop, according to coroner’s officials.

No one else was involved in the crash, city officials said. Coroners will determine the exact cause of death.

"This saddens me because I worked so closely with him," said councilman Frank Gonzales, also a former Colton mayor.

“David Zamora, in the short time that he served as mayor, did an excellent job to bring this city back to what it once was,” Gonzales. “He did a lot to help the community to help the people.”

Colton filled a budget deficit that affected emergency services. After difficult cuts, the city was back on track and looking to grow their reserves from $50,000 to $1.9 million, Councilman Gonzales said.

He successfully fought to roll back the city's utility rates, Gonzales said. Mr. Zamora also worked to unify a council that has endured in-fighting and recalls over the past few years.

Shocking News

His sudden death stunned many of his peers who saw him at the 9 a.m. San Bernardino Associated Governors Major Projects Committee.

“I can’t believe this has happened,” said Loma Linda Mayor Rhodes Rigsby in a phone interview late Thursday. “I’m shocked. When I saw him this morning, he was just as nice as he always was.”

Rigsby described Mr. Zamora as a wise man who was smart politically.

“He pulled together the different factions of his community,” he said. “He took his community through some difficult budget issues.”

“He was a good guy,” said Steve Rosas, 52, a long-time Colton resident. He and a friend walked by a quiet City Hall on Thursday shortly after the news broke.

News of the death traveled quickly. Shortly after, the news reached Rosas through his wife, who herd it from another friend, he said.

“What people don’t know is that we’re a strong community,” he said. “We all know each other here. We watch out for each other.”

Mr. Zamora did that for the community, he said.

“He helped people in South Colton,” Rosas said.

A passion for education

Colton Unified School District board member Robert Armenta Jr. served with Mr. Zamora when he was on the board.

His ability to motivate was clear after Mr. Zamora mentored Armenta’s brother for a day in 1992 as part of a program that gave students a chance to shadow a public official.

“I didn’t know David personally at that time and neither did my brother,” Armenta said. “I do remember when my brother came home he was quite motivated because, at that time, and even now but especially back at that time, there were far and few Latinos who were in high level city administrative positions.”

“That was very motivating for my brother,” he said. “David served as a role model,”

Mr. Zamora showed his devotion to education during the Colton Unified School District’s board meetings. He drive was especially evident during closed sessions when he was able to press his point without losing his collaborative nature, Armenta said.

He did it with humor and friendship. He never held a grudge, Armenta said. Even after a vote for a contentious issue, he would address people with a smile and hug. He moved forward, he said.

“David was just one of those people,” he said.

He was a key figure in the development of the district’s third high school, the soon to open Grand Terrace High School, Armenta said. 

An accomplished man

Mr. Zamora began his term as Mayor for the City of Colton in December 2010. He served on the Colton Joint Unified School District Board of Education from 1997 to 2010. The school district also serves a portion of Loma Linda.

He worked for the city for 28 years and served as Colton’s community development director until his retirement in 2009.

Mr. Zamora earned three degrees from Cal State San Bernardino — a bachelors in sociology, bachelors in social science and a masters in public administration, officials said.

“As was widely reported just last week following Mayor Zamora’s first State of the City address, with love and conviction he felt that the City of Colton has embarked – in his own words – upon a ‘New Beginning’,” said Colton City Manager Rod Foster in a statement. “We are confident that his legacy will be well-served by the City continuing in the spirit of his leadership.”

“Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife, Sarah Zamora, his children, grandchildren, the extended Zamora family and all of his friends and loved ones,” city officials said in the written statement. “Funeral announcements and additional information will be announced when available."