Husband of Patterson Councilwoman Lustgarten found dead

Jeff Lustgarten, husband of Patterson Councilwoman Sheree Lustgarten, died from an apparent suicide Wednesday at their home.

Sheree Lustgarten’s Facebook page includes a post by a friend, Alyssa Homen, that links to a gofundme page established to help the councilwoman. “I decided to create this account for Sheree to raise money for funeral expenses, and/or money for rent and living expenses,” Homen says on the fundraising page. “Jeff was the main household provider, and Sheree will need help with funeral, and living expenses.”

Lustgarten on Friday posted a photograph of her and her husband on their wedding day. “This was my husband’s all time favorite photo of us on our wedding day,” she wrote. “We were together 15 almost 16 years. I love you forever my best friend my soul mate my everything!”

The West Stanislaus Journal talked with Sheree Lustgarten in the days before her husband’s death. The article says the couple were packing their belongings because they had to be out of their home by the end of December because they no longer could afford the rent. Jeff Lustgarten recently had lost his job in public affairs for Metrolink rail in Southern California, the Journal reported.

A column about the councilwoman by The Modesto Bee’s Jeff Jardine in October read in part, “It’s been a tumultuous 2 1/2 years in office for the 53-year-old who moved to Patterson from Southern California about seven years ago. She claims it’s been that way because she’s a relative newcomer who asks tough questions that expose corruption, and that the old guard and developers simply want her off the council and out of the way. Personal vendettas, she said, make it small-town politics as usual.”

A Facebook post by Sheree Lustgarten on Wednesday morning indicated distress: “Evil is attacking my life. Pure Evil!! More to follow.”

The Journal reported that Sheree Lustgarten contacted it after her husband’s death “to help dispel any rumors and remarks that have already begun to circulate, including one remark posted that claimed, ‘If she just would have stepped down, she would still have her husband.’ ”

This story was originally published December 25, 2015 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Husband of Patterson Councilwoman Lustgarten found dead."