Long Beach residents will have an opportunity to remember a local media executive and small-business owner when friends and family gather July 22 for a Celebration of Life at Marni’s Bar & Grill in Seal Beach.
Marni Gaylord, 58, of Long Beach, died June 28 following complications from a long battle with metastatic breast cancer, her family reported. Gaylord was widely known in the community for her entertainment-industry career and for returning to the area to help run her family’s law firm before opening the neighborhood sports bar.
What residents need to know
- When: Celebration of Life, Wednesday, July 22 at 6:00 p.m.
- Where: Marni’s Bar & Grill, 620 Pacific Coast Highway, Seal Beach, CA 90740
- Donations: Family requests contributions in her name to breast cancer research groups and local organizations.
Gaylord was born to Ned and Barbara Gaylord and is survived by her children, Dylan and Erica Bernstein, and her sister, Candice Nantais. She graduated from Wilson High School, where classmates named her Most Spirited, and later attended UCLA, crafting an individualized major.
Her professional résumé included early work as a production assistant on the television series Cheers while at UCLA and subsequent roles in television marketing and promotions. She rose to senior positions in advertising and network promotion, including serving as vice president of on-air promotions and design at Fox Kids Network and later as senior vice president at Mirage Entertainment. She founded her own production firm, Euphoria, in 1999 and worked on campaigns for major networks and studios.
Local impact and legacy
After moving back to the Long Beach area, Gaylord helped manage the family law firm, Gaylord and Nantais, guiding operations through the pandemic years. Most recently she opened Marni’s Bar & Grill in Seal Beach, a neighborhood sports bar that served as a local gathering spot.
“She will be thoroughly missed and remembered for her infectious laugh and zest for life,” the family said in a remembrance.
The family asked that donations in Gaylord’s memory be directed to Susan G. Komen, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Temple Beth Shalom, or Las Floristas. Those wishing to attend the Celebration of Life can visit Marni’s Bar & Grill on the evening of July 22.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age at death | 58 |
| Date of death | June 28, 2026 |
| Celebration of Life | July 22, 2026, 6:00 p.m. at Marni’s Bar & Grill |
Community members who knew Gaylord through the entertainment industry, her work with the family firm, or as the proprietor of Marni’s are expected to attend. The family’s request for donations highlights both national breast cancer research organizations and local institutions, reflecting Gaylord’s professional history and community ties.
