Eleanor Kim Chow, a long time Montebello Unified School District school board member and one of the region’s first Korean American school board members, has died from pulmonary disease.

Chow, 101, who served on the board from 1970-1993, died June 23. Services were private.

“She made a great contribution to the Montebello district,” said Darrell Heacock, who owns a Montebello real estate firm and served with Chow on the board. “She’ll be greatly missed. She was very respected.”

Maria Elena Ramirez, who worked for the district for 27 years, described Chow as “energetic and knowledgeable.”

“Her major emphasis was the education and well being of students,” Ramirez said.

“She was forever looking for kindergarten all the way to high school and what programs were best for the kids,” Ramirez said. “She was an advocate at the state level and Washington, D.C.”

Born in Loomis, her family moved to Montebello, where she stayed throughout high school, according to an obituary from Brian Mason, Chow’s son-in-law.

“During that span, Eleanor innovated numerous student-centered programs and services; from health care to playground installations to achievement recognitions,” Mason said.

She began attending college, but due to World War II, she began working for Union Bank, Gail Chow, her daughter, said.

During the 1950s, Chow married Lawrence Chow and after having three children, became involved in the PTA, Gail Chow said.

When a seat on the board opened up, Chow ran and won.

“During that span, Eleanor innovated numerous student-centered programs and services; from healthcare to playground installations to achievement recognitions,” Mason said.

Chow also became involved on statewide committees and was appointed to the state teacher credentialing commission, her daughter said.

She received an honorary doctorate of law from Pepperdine University, Mason said.

An avid golfer, Chow served on the Southern California Junior Golf board for more than a decade.

In 1993, her life changed. Her husband died and she left the Montebello school board and moved to Las Vegas.

She continued her political career there, running unsuccessfully for Clark County School Board. She later was named to the district’s zoning commission that determines school boundaries.