ANN CERNEY

Ann Cerney entered into eternal rest on February 24, 2021 at the age of 86. Beloved wife of the late Reid Cerney for over 50 years. Loving mother to Ben (Lori) Cerney, Mary Ellen (Fred) Zavallos, Catherine Cerney, Matthew Cerney and James Cerney. Grandmother to Heather and Ryan Cerney, Monea, Sebastian, and Madeline Cerney-Zavallos and Zai Cerney.

Ann was born to Harold and Katie McCann on September 23, 1934 in Martinez, California. She was the second of seven children. She spent her early years in Martinez and later moved to Salinas, Ca where she graduated from Salinas High in 1952. After high school, she attended Dominican University in San Rafael and graduated in 1956. After graduation she taught for the Salinas Unified School District. She also taught English as a second language in Patterson, New Jersey.

She married Reid Cerney in September 1957 and they started a family in 1958. In 1960, they moved to South America as her husband Reid founded graduate programs in Social Work at Universities in Bogota, Columbia and Quito, Ecuador. While in South America she became fluent in Spanish and taught high school. After spending four years in South America, she moved to Lodi, California in 1965 where she has lived for over 50 years.

In Lodi, she became active in Saint Anne’s church and she played clarinet at the 9:30 am youth mass. She was very close to her family and on most Sunday’s after church she would gather all five children and her husband and they would go for Sunday supper at the McCann house on McCann Court in Concord. Every summer, she would take a trip to Salem, Oregon with all the children and her husband. They would make numerous stops on the way and would spend their evenings at campgrounds. When in Salem she would visit with her Sister Margaret and close family friends, Frank and Pat Nearing and their nine children.

In 1972 she decided to attend law school and she graduated from Humphrey’s Law School in Stockton in 1975. She was admitted to the California Bar in 1976 and shortly thereafter she started the first all women law firm in Stockton. A couple of the notable partners in the firm were Barbara Fass who became the Mayor of Stockton from 1980-1985 and Rolleen McIlwrath who was appointed to the San Joaquin County Superior Court in 1997.

She specialized in the practice of Social Security law. She was a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Organization and was a founding member of its Sacramento Branch (SOSSVR). She has been admitted to practice law in the Eastern and Northern Districts of California as well as the 9th Circuit.

She has been exceptionally active in her community. She was involved in peaceful protests against the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. She represented many of San Joaquin County’s disabled residents and Mexican immigrants in the courts, often at no cost. For many decades she was the only Spanish speaking attorney in San Joaquin County. She was a State Board Member of the California Rural Legal Assistance, a nonprofit law firm which has 24 offices across the State. She sat as a judge pro tem for San Joaquin County and was formerly on the elected Board of Trustees for San Joaquin Delta Community College, a position she held for 14 years. She won the Democratic Primary in 1980 for 9th Congressional District of California. She has been a citizen advocate for environmental issues in the San Joaquin Valley primarily those issues pertaining to land use planning. She was a litigant in the area’s big Wal Mart case: Citizen’s for Open Government, City Council of Lodi No: C051419. She was honored by the San Joaquin County Bar with the 2011 Law Day award for her contributions to the legal community. She volunteered teaching environmental units for the Lodi Unified School District.

Ann Cerney retired from the Practice of law in 2014. Her law partner’s Shellie Lott and Langley Torney carry on the law firm’s practice to this day. She spent her remaining years in Lodi. In lieu of gifts or flowers you may make a donation in the name of Ann Cerney to Dominican University of California at Office of Advancement at 50 Acacia Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 257-1396 or to the Emergency Food Bank and Family Services at 7 W. Scotts Avenue, Stockton, CA 95203 (209) 464-7369.

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