Hans von Briesen

Hans von Briesen Jr. (aka Siddiq) was born in Los Angeles, the fourth child of Hans von Briesen, MD, and Alice Henry von Briesen. He and his sisters grew up in Los Angeles except for several years in Idaho and Oregon during World War II, where his father was stationed as a U.S. Navy surgeon. He attended public schools in Los Angeles, Stanford University (BS, 1961), and the University of Rochester (PhD physics, 1967). He left physics in 1969 to join the Lama Foundation, an intentional spiritual community in northern New Mexico, with his wife Frances and their children Margaret and Cailen. Their son Daniel was born there. When their marriage ended he moved to San Francisco, where he became a student of Sufism in the lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan and Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti. After returning to Lama, he met his second wife Berkley. Their son Jonathan was adopted by his stepfather after Berkley remarried. In 1974, Hans met his lifelong wife and partner Sakina at Lama, where their son Adrien was born.

Moving to Santa Fe in 1977 with Sakina and four children, he first worked in construction and plumbing, then joined St. John's College as Director of Laboratories, where he administered and taught for over 25 years. He was a devoted student of Sufism, of Zen Buddhism under Joshu Sasaki Roshi, of Japanese Tea Ceremony together with Sakina, and of "householder yoga." Dozens of his letters were published in the The Santa Fe New Mexican, warning about harmful political developments. He was a hospice volunteer for over 13 years.

He loved the ocean, sailing, forests, the music of JS Bach, playing his washtub bass with local groups, guacamole, repairing things, and most of all his family and friends. Everyone who knew him will miss his deep kindness and quiet wisdom, humility, strong moral compass, and delightfully ironic sense of humor.

He is predeceased by his daughter Margaret, his son, Adrien, and his sisters, Joan von Briesen, Dabney Zorthian, and Barbara Asha Greer. He is survived by his wife Sakina, his son Hans Cailen and spouse Kate, his son Daniel Inayat and spouse Alison, son Jonathan McKeever and spouse Rebecca, twelve grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

His family thanks Del Corazon Hospice for their extraordinary care near the end of his life. Donations in his memory may be made to Lama Foundation, World Central Kitchen, Doctors Without Borders, or any group that helps those in need.

A burial will be held at the Lama Foundation near Questa, NM on Saturday Dec 6, 2025. Please visit tinyurl.com/hansvb2025 for information.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 8, 2025 at 10AM in the Kiva Chapel at Rivera Funeral Home, 417 East Rodeo Rd, Santa Fe NM, 87505.