William B. Spivak Jr.

Spivak, William B.
July 14, 1935 - November 21, 2010
William B. Spivak, Jr.

William B. Spivak, Jr., died peacefully in his sleep at home on November 21, 2010 after an extended illness.

He was born July 14, 1935 in Los Angeles.

Professionally, Mr. Spivak completed 43 years of distinguished service in the Civil Division of the Assisting U. S. Attorney Office, the longest tenure held anywhere in the country. Throughout his career, Bill represented agencies as diverse as the National Park Service, US Forest Service, FBI, US Postal Service, Veterans Affairs, INS, IRS, Bureau of Land Management, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard among others. He was considered a master in complex settlement issues and was valued as mentor and friend to many other attorneys.


Bill was a UCLA undergraduate and law school alumnus, having served as Class President in 1955-56. With a sense of humor and lively curiosity, he had a remarkable gift for making and sustaining friendships in all aspects of his life. He enjoyed extensive travel with a particular affection for Japan, studying its language and developing a network of close Japanese friends. An outdoorsman, Bill loved his annual ski trips all over the world. In later years, he treasured his view of the boats in Marina Del Rey where he lived since 1970.
He is survived by his brother, Stewart Spivak; nephews Greg and Jeff; numerous cousins and a wide family of lifelong friends, colleagues, and caregivers. Gratitude is especially expressed to nurses Daisy Sours and Carol Sheppler who provided 24 hour care in his last weeks, to Maria Elena Porras, his faithful housekeeper and friend of 35 years, and to "Team Spivak" created by the extraordinary staff of the Simms/Mann Center at UCLA.


A graveside service of remembrance and reception will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park, 2052 Howard Rd., Camarillo, CA 93012 (805) 482-1959. A reception in the funeral home's community room will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the important work of the Simms/Mann - UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology. Gifts can be sent to the JCCF Simms/Mann Center (200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 502, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6934) or online via www.SimmsMannCenter.ucla.edu for more information.