Seeva Marie Cherms, 42, daughter of Linda Sturdivant of Inverness Park, was found dead in her Grass Valley home Friday. She had apparently died three or four days earlier.

Ms. Cherms had spent considerable time in West Marin, visiting and working with her mother in housecleaning jobs. She lived here twice.

Seeva Cherms, with her chihuahua named Barely on her lap, working on the unsuccessful Hemp and Health Initiative, which would have decriminalized marijuana growing, transportation, and recreational use.

She was perhaps best known for her political work on California’s 2008 Hemp and Health Initiative, which she took part in writing, along with and the late pot activist Jack Herer.

For part of her childhood, Ms. Cherms lived in Venice Beach, where at the age of 12 she became an avid listener when Herer publicly preached his doctrine of marijuana, Ms. Sturdivant said. Because of her involvement in marijuana politics and her 30-year acquaintanceship with Herer, “she always wanted to write a book,” her mother added.

Ms. Cherms leaves a brother Anthony Owens of Oakland; two daughters, Haley, 23, who is married, and Summer Raine, 13; and her husband Steven Cherms, all of Oroville.

Born in Sacramento on June 6, 1968, Ms. Cherms had an often-difficult life. Her father was killed in Mexico shortly after her birth, Ms. Sturdivant said.

In 2005, Ms. Cherms and her husband Steven were violently mugged by gang members in Sacramento. Mr. Cherms lost part of his vision while she received a broken jaw and suffered emotional trauma. The culprits were identified, and the following year, several members of the gang were sentenced to prison, one for more than 22 years, Ms. Sturdivant added.

“I’m just numb,” Ms. Sturdivant said on Saturday. “At least Seeva is in peace, so I have some kind of comfort. But knowing I will never see that beautiful smile or hear her laugh, when she brightened up any room, breaks my heart.”

Ms. Cherms’ West Marin friends and relatives will hold a memorial for her in Point Reyes Station in the near future. Ms. Sturdivant said nothing else is needed but people’s prayers.