SAN JOSE, CA – Greek-American California State Senator Elaine Kontominas Alquist passed away unexpectedly on July 9, The Mercury News reported. She was 79.

Alquist spent two decades representing Silicon Valley in the California State Senate (2004-2012), California State Assembly (1996-2002), and Cupertino Union School District (1983-1991) as board member and then president.

Born in Chicago and raised in a Greek immigrant family, Elaine became the first Greek-American woman elected to the California State Legislature in November 1996. She fought tirelessly to improve California’s public education system and to protect the health of all Californians, particularly vulnerable youth and elders. Some of her proudest accomplishments were her introduction of Silver Alert (SB 1047) for missing seniors and her work on seismic safety and HMO and nursing home reform.

Alquist was the proud mother and Yiayia to sons Peter and Bryan White and grandchildren Jasmine, Logan and Liam White; and loving partner to her “PF” (Permanent Fiancé) J. Duncan Benas.

She was predeceased in 2006 by her husband Al Alquist who had served in the California State Assembly and State Senate in the same district his wife later represented.

Private services were held.