Monica Ortloff was a favorite teacher for many students at Granite Hills High School. Her English room was a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals to exist without judgment for the past two decades. She also kept in touch with many students after graduation, even officiating some of their weddings.

Her passing was sudden and unexpected. Ortloff had just celebrated her milestone 25th year as an educator before having a routine surgery and contracting necrotizing fasciitis, according to 50-year friend Melody Clark. She died June 2. She was 67.

Colleagues at the Apple Valley Unified School District expressed grief over the loss of Mrs. Ortloff and offered condolences to her loved ones.

“We are devastated to have lost one of our Apple Valley Unified School District family members who has been with us since 1999,” the district said in a statement.

“Monica’s love of teaching and her family were evident to all. She made an immeasurable impact on Granite Hills High School and AVUSD. Her passing leaves a hole in the hearts of many and she will be greatly missed by her AVUSD family. Her family is in our thoughts as they go through this period of grief.”

Ortloff’s good friends, family, and former students say they are devastated and confused by the loss and shared memories of her legacy through loving stories of the lasting impact she’s had on their lives and the lives of other LGBTQ+ students.

Ortloff’s legacy for the LGBTQ+ community

Ortloff was a pioneer and moderator of the Gay Straight Alliance Club (GSA) at Granite Hills High School.

There were no laws supporting gay rights at the time, Ortloff’s wife of 40 years, Wanda Rhodes, told the Daily Press, so the club faced many obstacles and opposition in the beginning.

As the gay and transgender student population grew and laws changed, GSA became a refuge for students who questioned their identities, according to Rhodes

Ortloff endured derogatory comments from other teachers and parents as a lesbian teacher in the early 2000s, her wife said. She was often forced to stay locked in her room until security could escort her out and parents pulled their kids out of her class solely because she was gay.

Students in the LGBTQ+ community, whether out or closeted, said they had flocked to Ortloff as their sole representative on campus. She was a safe space for them to express their unapologetic selves and someone they could turn to for advice.

Students remember the great “Ms. O”

A former student of Orloff, Tyler Keeling, remembers the struggles of being a closeted youth in an “isolated town where LGBT acceptance isn’t common.”

“Just seeing a proud lesbian woman living her life with a career and a family was, in many ways, a lifeline for me and many others,” Keeling said.

He recalled when anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment on campus reached an all-time high and Ortloff began receiving threats. “She didn’t let it stop her from opening her classroom up for LGBT students who needed somewhere they felt safe,” he said.

The small act of courage inspired LGBTQ+ students to be resilient in the face of adversity, Keeling said.

“The news of her passing is heartbreaking,” he said. “Her impact on several generations of LGBT youth in Apple Valley will live on, even if she left this world far too early.”

Derek King is a Granite Hills High School class of 2020 alumni. He says that “Ms. O” was his favorite teacher and felt like she was really a part of his family.

“We called her the original gay gangster grandma,” he said with a laugh. “She was my best friend and always had my back, I’m so grateful to have known her.”

King is still struggling to believe that she is gone and wishes it was a dream. “We had so many plans together. I am getting married next month in July and she was supposed to marry my wife and me,” he said. “She’s always with me. I can’t see her but I can feel her.

Geneva Romero said Ortloff’s legacy was one of empowerment.

She wanted students to do better and believed in them, he told the Daily Press. “She cared for her students so naturally and supported our dreams.”

Ortloff gave Romero the courage to come out to her parents during her freshman year and will always be remembered as an ally who professed self-worth to her students, , according to the former student.

Brie Avila said she was also at a loss for words.

“I can’t express what you meant to me as a kid. You were my mentor and friend when I needed one the most. I didn’t know what being gay looked like. You know my story better than most people and I struggled so much with my identity.”

Avila gives Ortloff credit for making it out of high school alive and for teaching her that there’s nothing wrong with who she is. She thanks “Ms. O” for all she did for the LGBTQ+ community during her English teaching career.

Dajaya Keiser said she was heartbroken over news of the death. Through the tears, she wrote that Ortloff was her best friend in high school. and that the English teacher was there for Keiser during her toughest times, including breakdowns and identity struggles.

“She was the one who threw me the first birthday I had in 12 years due to religion,” she said. “She is the one who gave me my love of reading. I wish I could have talked to you one last time and wish you had the opportunity to meet my son. I will forever miss you, my friend.”

Adam Powell, principal of Granite Hills High School, also shared heartfelt sentiments with the Daily Press.

“Throughout Monica’s career, she was a stalwart advocate for students; both in the classroom as scholars and in the community as people,” he said. “As advisor for GSA, she promoted unity and safety across our entire campus for all students. Students knew they could come to her as a trusted and caring adult in their lives, the kind that makes such a tremendous difference and impact that you remember them long after you’ve graduated high school.”

“We will miss her kind heart, her silly wigs and make-up for every new school year picture, her bright smile, and her courageous spirit on our campus,” Powell said.

He recalled her generosity toward her pupils.

“Monica would donate money to purchase yearbooks, Grad Night tickets, and prom tickets for her senior students she knew couldn’t afford it,” Powell said. “She once bought a student shoes and even a car so they could get to work to help support their family. She never wanted attention for any of that, she just did it out of the kindness of her heart.”

In addition to Rhodes, Ortloff is survived by two sons, Donte and Andre.

A visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, June 28 at Sunset Hills Mortuary in Apple Valley. The funeral will take place from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. also on June 28 at Sunset Hills Mortuary.

McKenna Mobley is a Daily Press reporter and can be reached at mmobley@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Monica Ortloff’s legacy lives on in her Granite Hills High students