Mayors, Councilmembers, Civic Leaders Remember Former City PIO Ann Erdman

A former Pasadena Public Information Officer once dubbed the “Minister of Truthiness” by a local reporter has died.

Ann Erdman’s daughter Jessica Cremans posted of her mother Ann Erdman’s passing on Facebook.

Erdman was 74.

“Life is forever changed,” Cremans wrote. “It’s hard to describe the pain of losing you. I am just taking comfort in knowing you are no longer in pain. Rest in Peace mom. Until we meet again.”

Erdman served as the city’s PIO from 1991 and announced her retirement in 2011. By then she had been deemed the “Minister of Truthiness,” by former Pasadena Weekly Deputy Editor Joe Piasecki at the Pasadena Weekly for her honesty and transparency when dealing with reporters.

“I join the Erdman family and the Pasadena community in mourning the loss of Ann Erdman. Ann was a friend as well as a colleague,” said Councilmember Steve Madison. “She made extraordinary contributions to the City of Pasadena. She was accessible and informative as the City’s Public Information Officer for many years, and always carried out her duties with a smile and an infectious sense of humor—which served her and all of us well when she helped put on the annual spoof of Pasadena politics and governance called “Pasadena Follies.” Ann treated everyone with tremendous respect and she engendered enormous respect from others as a result. Her institutional knowledge of Pasadena and her extraordinary kindness will be sorely missed.”

At the time of her retirement, Erdman said she would  miss all the people she’s worked with over the years in Pasadena, both at City Hall and in the media.

“I’m not leaving the community,” Erdman said. “I’ll continue to live here.”

Prior to becoming Pasadena’s spokeswoman, Erdman spent more than five years as the spokeswoman for Palm Springs.

Before entering public service, Erdman spent 12 years in the private sector working in advertising and public relations.

Erdman had been battling health issues since 2011, In July of that year Erdman underwent emergency surgery after her colon ruptured. She quickly recovered, however, and returned to work in October. Soon after her return, Erdman announced that she would be retiring.

Later it was announced that she would be riding in the Rose Parade, making her the first person to ride in the Rose Parade and its doppelganger the Doo Dah Parade.

“I was on the Arts Commission and I remember I had never met her before and heard of her. I just thought to myself, this is somebody really special,” said Tom Coston of the Light Bringer Project, which puts on the Doo Dah Parade.

The parade began in 1978 at Chromos Bar in Pasadena as an alternative to the Rose Parade and has since become a Pasadena mainstay.

“She had a very big personality. She’s so well loved by everybody around her in the community. And she had just a real wit and sense of humor about her that everybody remembers. Ann made you laugh, and she was a straight shooter. She told the truth. You didn’t have to toy around with words, with Ann, you could have real conversations with her.”

In 2021, she started a gofundme page to help raise money as she continued to recover from several health issues, including a bout with COVID-19 and serious fall  that required her to learn how to walk again.

Erdman also served as a moderator on “Citybeat,” a local public access TV show that featured members of the local media discussing issues of the day with Pasadena elected officials.

“Ann’s passing marks the loss of a dedicated public servant,’ said former Mayor Bill Bogaard. “Claire and I share a sense of loss in Pasadena for her creative and energetic style of marking historic  events in our community.  Ann typically captured the significance of the City’s accomplishments and personalities.”

Current Mayor Victor Gordo said on Thursday that Erdman embodied the very best of public service and civic spirit—Ann Erdman.

“Ann was more than a dedicated public servant,” Gordo said/ “She was a storyteller, a connector, and a quiet force behind so much of what made Pasadena shine.  She was also a longtime friend and mentor.

“Before she came to serve the people of Pasadena, Ann spent over five years as the spokeswoman for the City of Palm Springs. And before entering public service, she built a strong foundation in the private sector, working for more than a decade in advertising and public relations. She understood the power of communication—not just as a tool, but as a bridge.

From 1991 to 2012, Ann served as Pasadena’s Director of Public Affairs and Public Information Officer. She was the voice behind the scenes—calm in a crisis, warm in her delivery, and deeply trusted by both residents and reporters alike. Many remember her steady presence on Citybeat, a local public access show where she helped shine a light on the issues facing the community, bringing together local media and elected officials for real conversations.”

“But Ann didn’t just inform—she uplifted. From 2002 to 2007, she helped bring to life the Pasadena Follies, a beloved variety show that raised funds for the Pasadena Senior Center. Alongside filmmaker Jerram Swartz, actor and teacher Barry Gordon, and arts advocate Tom Coston, Ann brought together an unforgettable cast of Pasadena’s movers, shakers, and characters—from mayors and council members to broadcasters and university presidents. It was a little bit civic theater, a little bit local satire—and a whole lot of joy.

“And in true Pasadena fashion, Ann made history in 2012—becoming the first person to ride in both the Rose Parade and the offbeat Doo Dah Parade. She knew how to take her work seriously without taking herself too seriously–which, let’s be honest, is something more of us could learn to do. Might make the world a little lighter… and the meetings a bit more fun.

Even after retiring from City service, Ann continued to give. She worked as a consultant, helping nonprofits, public agencies, and private clients communicate with clarity and compassion.

To Ann’s family, and all those in Pasadena and beyond who knew and loved her—on behalf of our City, I send our deepest condolences. Pasadena has lost a beloved voice and a civic treasure.

May she rest in peace, and may we carry forward her spirit of service, her love for her city, and that unmistakable twinkle in her eye.”