Sean Cooley

1961 - 2015

Sean Cooley
March 1, 1961 - April 30, 2015
Resident of Lafayette
Sean Murray Cooley, treasured husband, father, son and friend, died peacefully on April 30, 2015 at his home in Lafayette, California; he was 54. Sean was born in San Francisco on March 1, 1961 to Sheila McDonnell Collins and Richard Cooley. Sean grew up in Pebble Beach, California where he attended the Stevenson School and spent his time riding horses at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center and learning to play polo. He graduated from the University of California, Davis, where he was an accomplished polo player, one of only 2 individuals to capture the National Intercollegiate Polo Championship title four years consecutively.
Sean derived great satisfaction from his work in commercial real estate development and was passionate about building and reshaping communities to best serve their residents. He co-founded the Walnut Creek office of Cornish and Carey, and employed the office's resources and talents to positively impact community development. Sean introduced the first mixed-use commercial and residential development to Lafayette and spent years rallying the business and political leaders in Salinas in efforts to dramatically reshape that community. His enthusiasm for Salinas and his dream of bringing a minor league baseball team to the community as part of his visionary project there was infectious. He contributed generously to the real estate industry including perennial work with the Urban Land Institute focused on promoting community development.
Sean is survived by his cherished wife, Dr. Jean Kayser, his adored children, Bridget Cooley and Sean Cooley, Jr., his siblings, Leslie Cooley and her wife Kristine Jensen of Carmel, Pierce Cooley and his wife Christie of Folsom, Sheila Cooley and her husband Mark Fagan of East Greenwich, RI, and Mark Cooley and his wife Joan D'Ambrosio of San Francisco, his father, Dick Cooley and his wife Bridget of Seattle, and his children's mother, Brenda Cooley. Sean was preceded in death by his mother, Sheila McDonnell Collins, and his stepfather, Dick Collins, whom Sean always said taught him "how to be a hugger."
Sean was a great supporter of his friends and family. He was devoted to and adored by his many nieces and nephews. His positive, encouraging spirit, generous heart and his engaging personality brought life to every room he entered.
Sean loved an attention-grabbing sports coat, an ice-cold vodka on the rocks, sunsets in Carmel, a great hike or walk on the beach with Jean, and he was the perpetrator of countless practical jokes, usually abetted by Jean.
Donations will gratefully be received by the incredible Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org).
A memorial celebration of Sean's life will be held on Sunday, May 17th at 3:00 PM, Lafayette Veterans Memorial Center, 3780 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, CA.