Louis M. Wolfsheimer

1932 - 2018

Louis M. Wolfsheimer October 29, 1932 - April 1, 2018 Rancho Santa Fe Louis Wolfsheimer, a longtime attorney and prominent civic leader who helped shape modern San Diego, died peacefully at home on Sunday, April 1st after a six-month battle with cancer. He was 85. Louis was born on October 29, 1932 in Baltimore, Maryland, to Archie Taylor Wolfsheimer and his wife Kayne Marcus. He was raised in the Forest Park neighborhood of Baltimore and attended high school at The Park School before heading off to the University of North Carolina. There, he was president of his class, played varsity lacrosse and enjoyed the brotherhood of his ZBT fraternity. After graduating college in 1954, Louis joined the U.S. Air Force and served as 1st Lieutenant with the 1100th Air Police at Bolling AFB in Washington, DC. He married his first wife, Abbe Salomon in 1958 and had two children, Alison and Marc. Louis was preordained to run the family business, Louis Marcus Corp., a company which manufactured children's and ladies' coats. But after his father died in 1960, Louis was lured to San Diego in 1962 by his father-in-law, Colonel Irving Salomon. At Col. Solomon's suggestion, Louis attended California Western School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in 1964. After joining the San Diego City Attorney's office in 1965, Louis became a Deputy City Attorney first in the Criminal Division and then in the Civil Division, where he specialized in land use and city contracting. Here he met James Milch, who in 1967 became his partner in the legendary law firm Milch, Wolfsheimer & Wagner. For decades, Jim and Louis were among the city's leading lobbyists and land-use attorneys, representing major clients including Wal-Mart, Anheuser-Busch (SeaWorld), the Building Industry Council, McMillan Companies, Waste Management, Cushman Realty, Cox Cable, and the developers who brought the communities of 4S Ranch and Del Sur to fruition. A close friend of Mayors Pete Wilson and Maureen O'Connor, Louis was a power player in San Diego who once was featured in a San Diego Magazine cover story as "The Man Who Could Be Mayor." In 1969, he was appointed by Mayor Wilson to chair the San Diego Planning Commission, where he served for nearly a decade. He then served 10 years as commissioner and twice chairman of the San Diego Unified Port District. Under his leadership, the Port District approved and guided construction of the Convention Center, Cruise Ship Terminal, Seaport Village, and numerous hotels along the waterfront. Later in life he also served on the Del Mar Fair Board (director), the state Race Track Leasing Commission and on the San Diego County's Citizen's Law Enforcement Review Board. He was also named to UCSD Hospitals Board of Advisors, and as an alternate to the California Coastal Commission. He was a board member of Francis Parker School, the American Jewish Committee, Episcopal Community Services, the Salvation Army, and the Human Subjects Committee of UCSD Medical School. Louis parted ways with his first wife in 1983 and subsequently married Susanne Shafer Henie. In his free time, Louis enjoyed bird hunting often in distant countries including Argentina, England, Canada and Czechoslovakia. He enjoyed reading, fine dining, and traveling in California and Europe. He met for Thursday lunches with a bipartisan group of intellectuals and civic leaders and could be found at Old Town Mexican Caf for Friday lunches with his old friends of the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC). He was an avid sports fan who held Chargers season tickets for over 30 years through good times and bad. An accomplished tennis player in his younger years, he later loved walking the trails of Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve. Tutored in art by his law partner, Jim Milch, Louis enjoyed collecting local landscape paintings; he also collected duck decoys and antique toys and guns. As strong supporters of KPBS, Louis and Susanne sponsored local broadcasts of Doc Martin and Call the Midwife. Loved by many, including those with differing viewpoints, Louis was known for his kindness, generosity, honesty, grace, good manners, and great sense of humor. Besides his wife and children, Louis is survived by his granddaughters, Marissa and Sarah Wolfsheimer; his sister, Barbara Taylor; and her three children, Tom, Elizabeth, and Arch. A private family memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Jewish Family Service at jfssd.org, KPBS at kpbs.org, or the University of North Carolina lacrosse team at unc.edu.