If you’re wondering what the late actress and 1960s’ sex symbol/bombshell Raquel Welch and La Jolla might have in common, you might be surprised. The 82-year-old, who died on Feb. 15, attended La Jolla High School and later San Diego State University.

“Raquel Welch, the legendary bombshell actress of film, television, and stage, passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness,” stated Media Four, her management company. “Her career spanned over 50 years starring in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. The Golden Globe winner, in more recent years, was involved in a very successful line of wigs.”

Known for her roles in such films as 1966’s “One Million Years B.C.” and 1970’s “Myra Breckinridge,” she passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness,” according to her agent, Stephen LaManna of the talent agency Innovative Artists on Feb.15.

The actress appeared in several other 1960s TV shows such as “The Virginian,” “McHale’s Navy,” and “Bewitched.”

It was her appearance in “The Three Musketeers,” that earned her the Golden Globe in 1974 for best actress in a motion picture comedy or musical.

ANOTHER NAME

Of course, she was not always Raquel Welch but rather born Jo- Raquel Tejada in Chicago on Sept. 5, 1940. Welch was the oldest of three children and her mother was a seamstress of English descent. Her father, a Bolivian-born aeronautical engineer, relocated the family to San Diego when Welch was 2 years old to design aircraft during World War II.

While a student at La Jolla High, where she graduated with honors in 1958, she won the titles of Miss La Jolla and Miss San Diego — the Fairest of the Fair.

No stranger to beauty pageants, Welch began winning pageants at age 14. Though she attended San Diego State University on a drama scholarship, she dropped out to get married and take a job doing weather forecasts at KFMB a local TV station.

She later married her high school sweetheart, James Welch, and had two children by the age of 21. After they separated, Welch moved to Los Angeles with her children to pursue acting and three years later became a household name.

Speaking of household names it was indeed after the film “One Million Years B.C,” in which she had only three speaking lines about a fantasy adventure in a prehistoric world featuring humans and dinosaurs living side-by-side that she hit people’s radar.

But some have said it was the skimpy, fur-trimmed bikini that made her into one of the era’s most well-known sex symbols.

LA JOLLA HIGH CONNECTION

According to those at her old alma mater La Jolla High School like Rita McGee-Bastani, an administrative assistant, “I believe she really enjoyed her time here at La Jolla High. She participated in many clubs and activities.”

McGee-Bastani said she heard of Welch’s death the morning after she passed, and she also recalled Welch was a good student.

“Raquel was an honors student and a member of the California Scholastic Federation. She was also a member of the Drama Club … She was also head cheerleader her senior year.”

In terms of making any surprise visits to the school, McGee-Bastani said: “I don’t know. She was going to be invited to the unveiling of the Theater Lobby wall with her photo but that wasn’t scheduled until this May.”

Stacey Allen, the high school’s current drama teacher said the school recently created the “Wall of Fame” or Theater Lobby wall to honor all of its past stars and Welch is “right there in the center.”

He added he learned of her death while teaching at the school and “Welch was very active on campus not only in the drama department but cheerleading, music, academics, and more.”

“I learned the day she died [of her death] … I was teaching one of my drama classes,” he said. “She never came and spoke to the students from what I know. But it wouldn’t surprise me if she did.”

While he was not even born when Welch attended high school, Allen said: “However, two weeks ago, I just happened to be watching an interview with her on the old ‘Mike Douglas Show’ and she came across as such an intelligent and well-spoken woman. I was very impressed. I think she was not only a beautiful woman physically but also a strong and talented woman as well. A perfect role model for young women today.”

Other famous alumni of La Jolla High over the decades have included film director and producer Gore Verbinski, actress and entertainer Robin Wright, and the star of stage and screen Cliff Robertson.

To date, the cause of her death has not been announced.

Welch was married and divorced four times and is survived by her two children, a son, Damon Welch, and a daughter, Tahnee Welch. Read more about Welch here and here.