Joseph Lucian Wyatt Jr.

Wyatt Jr., Joseph Lucian February 21, 1924 - April 15, 2013

Joseph L. Wyatt, Jr., a 59-year resident of Pasadena, California, passed away peacefully at Keck USC Hospital on April 15, 2013 at the age of 89. He died from acute respiratory failure. Joseph is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Marge; son Daniel Wyatt of Pasadena, daughter Linn Wyatt, also of Pasadena, and son Jonathan Wyatt of Redondo Beach. He is also survived by his step-son Lawrence Porter, daughter- in- law Tamara Garrett, grandson Jack Wyatt (11) and granddaughter Taryn Wyatt (3).
Joseph was the only child of Joseph and Cecile Wyatt, and was born on the South Shore of Chicago, Illinois. He is the product of the public schools of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA, Atlanta, GA, Charleston, SC, Montclair, NJ, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. He received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1947 after serving in the United States Air Force as a First Sergeant in the USAAF Troop Carrier Command in England, France and Germany (1942-1945). He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1949, and practiced law in California since 1950. During the summer of 1952, Joe met Marge Simmons at the California Federation of Young Democrats Convention in Stockton, California and they were married in 1954.
Those that knew Joe will not be surprised that he worked right up until the day he died. He practiced trust and estate law for three law firms, most recently as Senior of Counsel to Morrison/Foerster LLP. He specialized in the areas of trust and estate planning, fiduciary and tax practice, and trial and appellate litigation on behalf of individual and institutional clients. He is the author of a four-volume treatise on Trust Administration and Taxation. Since 1962, he was a highly sought after lecturer in his field, and he was an active member of various professional associations.
Joe's public activities include serving as a member of the Pacific Oaks Board of Trustees, membership on the California State Personnel Board, the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees Retirement System, the anti-poverty agencies of Pasadena and Los Angeles, and as a California delegate to the national Democratic conventions of 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 and counsel to the California delegations in 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1992. Joe was also a well known and skillful parliamentarian at many state and local Democratic Party events. In addition to the aforementioned community involvement, Joe generously supported many non-profit organizations focused on services for children and education.
Joe was a unique person who embodied a rare combination of wit, humor, intelligence, and humility. Rarely has such an accomplished person achieved so much in such a humble manner. He always said that there were not certain things he did "for fun" - he had fun with everything he did. Joe was many things including a great husband and father, a superb lawyer, and a bow- tie aficionado, but most of all he was simply an exemplary human being. He lived a full life dedicated to making the community a better place.
Donations may be made to the Pasadena Educational Foundation, 351 South Hudson Avenue, Room 153, Pasadena, CA 91109 and telephone (626) 396-3625. Memorial services are planned in Pasadena, California with date and time yet to be determined.