[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17361]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF WILLIAM COBLENTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to William 
Coblentz, a legendary San Franciscan, a great American and citizen of 
the world who passed away on September 13th. Bill's leadership on many 
of our most important physical and cultural landmarks profoundly shaped 
the city's landscape and character, and his impassioned defense of 
human rights and intellectual freedom helped to define our ideological 
heritage. He was a visionary whose work helped make San Francisco the 
international city it is today.
  A native of San Francisco, Bill was born in 1922 and attended Lowell 
High School and the University of California, Berkeley. After studying 
law at Yale, he returned to join a small real estate practice in San 
Francisco. He would remain at this firm for more than 55 years--guiding 
it to become one of the biggest and most influential in the city.
  As a partner at the firm, now known as Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, 
Bill helped shape many of San Francisco's most significant post-war 
building projects, such as Yerba Buena Gardens, AT&T Park, the Fillmore 
Auditorium, Levi Plaza, and Mission Bay. He was a highly respected 
attorney and influential political leader, both as special counsel to 
California Governor Pat Brown and to San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto.
  Beyond his professional accomplishments, Bill inspired others with 
his profoundly compassionate soul. Bill loved people, and those of us 
who were fortunate enough to know him will always remember the warmth 
and ease of his friendship. He believed in the value of every 
individual, and generously gave his time and energy to those from all 
walks of life. An example of this can be seen during his service on the 
Airport Commission, when he would volunteer as a janitor for the day on 
Christmas so that a custodian could spend that time with his family.
  His courage and vision were perhaps most evident in his leadership on 
the University of California Board of Regents, where he served as a 
member from 1964 to 1978 and as chairman from 1978 until 1980. As a 
Regent on a conservative board, he pressed the university to fight 
apartheid in South Africa and to uphold the right of controversial 
thinkers Angela Davis and Eldridge Cleaver to teach in the University 
of California system.
  Bill's combination of legal expertise and warm egalitarianism drew 
some colorful, high profile clients. In the sixties, he worked with 
Bill Graham on the Fillmore Auditorium, and soon found himself 
connected to the vibrant San Francisco rock scene. He gave personal and 
professional legal advice to groups as the Jefferson Airplane, Santana, 
and the Grateful Dead, and in doing so was an unlikely contributor to 
one of the major cultural movements in San Francisco's history.
  San Francisco has lost a beloved son. I hope it is a comfort to his 
wife Jean, his sister Lolita Erlanger, his children Wendy and Andy, and 
his four grandchildren that countless San Franciscans join them in 
mourning Bill's passing.

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