‘Her remarkable life’: Lois Tarkanian was pillar of Las Vegas as educator, politician

Lois Tarkanian, the wife of UNLV’s most famous basketball coach who also carved out her own identity in education, politics and community service, died Monday morning, according to family and officials. She was 90.

She most recently was elected to the Nevada Board of Regents in 2020. Tarkanian previously held elected positions on the Las Vegas City Council for 14 years and the Clark County School Board for 12 years.

She received numerous community-based awards, and Tarkanian Middle School opened in 2006 as a honor to her and her husband, late Rebels coach Jerry Tarkanian.

Daughter-in-law Amy Tarkanian took to social media to express her love for the matriarch.

“Who can actually say that she loves her mother-in-law? I loved her so much,” she wrote on X, noting that she named her firstborn after her.

Tributes pour in

“Dr. Lois Tarkanian was a passionate and tireless champion for education at every level throughout her remarkable life,” the Nevada System of Higher Education wrote in a statement.

The Nevada Board of Regents said they were “honored to have benefited from her dedicated service” to higher education.

“While her family name is widely celebrated for its connection to UNLV, Dr. Tarkanian’s legacy extends far beyond, leaving a lasting impact on education and shaping the futures of Nevada students for generations to come,” the statement said. “The Nevada System of Higher Education mourns Dr. Tarkanian’s passing and extends heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.”

UNLV President Keith Whitfield said that the UNLV community was “incredibly saddened” by Tarkanian’s passing, and offered condolences to her family.

“Her extraordinary legacy of service to the Las Vegas community – from government and nonprofits to education at all levels – will forever be cemented in our hearts and memories,” Whitfield said in a statement. “The impact on UNLV left by Dr. Tarkanian and her late husband, Coach Jerry Tarkanian, will stand for generations.”

U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, said she was “very sorry” to learn of Lois Tarkanian’s passing.

“She was dedicated to improving Nevadans’ lives and educating generations of students,” Rosen wrote in a statement. “Our state is better off thanks to her exemplary service. I’m keeping the entire Tarkanian family in my thoughts.”

Tarkanian often was overshadowed by her husband, whom she followed as his coaching career progressed but still created her own path. When Jerry Tarkanian died in 2015, the couple had been married for nearly 60 years.

“Jerry has been in fragile health since 2009,” Lois Tarkanian said in a statement at the time. “He fought his health problems with the same tenacity he showed throughout his life. … Our hearts are broken but filled with incredible memories.”

UNLV’s Athletic Department said that Lois Tarkanian’s “kindness, strength and unwavering support touched everyone who knew her. Our hearts are with the Tarkanian family, Lois’ friends and all of Coach Tark’s former players.”

Retired NBA player Greg Anthony, who played under Jerry Tarkanian during UNLV’s 1990 national championship run, also took to social media.

“#RIP She was truly the heart and soul of our program!” wrote Anthony, an NBA analyst. “All Rebels owe a debt of gratitude for her grace and love of us all.”

Passion for education

Education was a lifelong passion for Lois Tarkanian. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s in speech and hearing, and a doctorate in leadership and human behavior.

Tarkanian began her career as a first-grade teacher and went on to become a speech pathologist and administrator. She also taught at Community College of Southern Nevada (later renamed the College of Southern Nevada) and various California universities.

She co-founded and served on the board of the Public Education Foundation. Tarkanian also was a board member for FACT-Family and Child Treatment Center for Abused Children, Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired, Nevada PEP (Professionals Empowering Parents) and EMERGE Nevada, which mentors potential future women leaders. She also was chairwoman of the Advisory Committee for the Teacher Education Academy at Clark High School.

Oralingua is a private day school in California that Tarkanian founded for deaf children. She also was behind creating a program for deaf children at CSN’s preschool lab.

Entering political arena

Tarkanian, a Democrat, entered politics in 1988 when she ran for the Clark County school board, easily defeating former board member Helen Cannon. That began a 12-year tenure on the board, including service as its president.

After three successful election runs, Tarkanian campaigned in 2000 for a Clark County Commission seat. Her winning streak, however, ended in a 546-vote loss to Chip Maxfield.

In 2005, she challenged Las Vegas Councilwoman Janet Moncrief in a recall election. Tarkanian beat Moncrief, who had been on the job only 19 months, and fellow challenger Vicki Quinn. Tarkanian won by 810 votes.

She rose to mayor pro tem, holding her City Council seat until she was forced out by term limits in 2019.

Outgoing Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said the city was mourning the death of Tarkanian, whom she described as an icon.

“Lois has given so much to our community over the decades from being a pillar for education, to her time on the City Council, and of course she was a big part of UNLV basketball with her husband Jerry,” Goodman said in a statement. “A beloved person, Lois is an integral part of what has made Las Vegas so special.”

Added Goodman: “We will miss her dearly for her wise counsel, caring nature, and for always being a neighborhood champion. Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time.”

City Council action

During her time on the City Council, Tarkanian was a strong proponent of UNLV creating a medical school. She also voted in 2014 against using public money to build a professional soccer stadium, a measure that nevertheless passed 4-3.

“Memories are the gold of kings, they say. If you have them, you have all you need,” she said at her final City Council meeting. “And some of them are reminders that each of us can and do and make a difference.”

Her political days, however, were not over.

She ran for the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents in 2020, receiving support from both political parties, and won by a more than 20-point margin over former Regent Bret Whipple.

Among her many honors, Tarkanian was named Humanitarian of the Year by Catholic Community Services and Citizen of the Year by the Westcare Foundation. She also received the March of Dimes’ Silver Lily Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Tarkanian’s son, Danny, followed her into politics, although not with her record of success.

He ran for and lost six races for offices including state Senate, secretary of state and Congress before finally moving to Northern Nevada and winning a seat on the Douglas County Commission by just 17 votes in 2020.

Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he had spoken to the Tarkanians on Monday, including Danny Tarkanian.

McDonald said he’s known the family since he was in middle school.

“They were there for us growing up,” he said. “It’s a loss. It’s tough for the community. She was a great woman — She lived a great life, a long life.”

A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Bret Whipple as an incumbent regent.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Review-Journal staff writer Jessica Hill contributed to this report.