Donald Bradley

1943 - 2024

Donald Bradley
September 26, 1943 - January 13, 2024
Donald Edward Bradley passed away the morning of January 13, 2024 in Pleasanton, Calif., after a brief illness. Born on September 26, 1943 in Santa Rosa, Calif., the only child of Edward A. and Mildred L. Bradley, née Kelley. He was raised in both Manchester, N.H., and Los Angeles, Calif. He graduated in 1961 from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, Calif., and from Dartmouth College in 1965. He earned his law degree from UC Law San Francisco (formerly, UC Hastings College of the Law), and served his country in the US Army during the Vietnam War in 1970 as a captain in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. In 1971, he earned an LL.M. in tax degree from the New York University School of Law.
From 1972 to 1984, Don was an associate and then partner of the law firm of Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw & Pittman LLP (formerly, Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro). He joined the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. in Palo Alto in 1984 and led the tax group for many years before transitioning to the become the firm's first general counsel. He was currently serving as the firm's chief legal officer.
Don was a member of the Board of Directors of UC Law San Francisco from 2007 until 2019, a gubernatorial appointment he was very proud of. At the time of his death, he was serving as chairman and chief executive officer of Attorneys Insurance Mutual Risk Retention Group, an mutual insurance company for securing professional liability insurance for approximately 20 medium and large law firms in California. He was also serving as president of his Dartmouth alumni class between 2015 until his passing. He was extremely proud of his association with each of these organizations, and made many lifelong friends through his participation with each of them.
Don and Marianne participated in many marathons and half marathon events while with Team in Training, one of the fundraising arms for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Don was an accomplished musician who enjoyed playing Chopin and Gershwin on the piano. He especially enjoyed spending time with his children and his grandchildren in backyard barbeques and watching them participate in their respective sports and endeavors. He was an enthusiastic fan of the Dartmouth Big Green football team and enjoyed returning to Dartmouth for class reunions and other gatherings. Don was a longtime season ticketholder of University of California Golden Bears football and basketball teams, and enjoyed becoming a season ticketholder of the Golden State Warriors. He and Marianne are members at the Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton.
Don was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 34 years, Marianne; children, Evan (Athena), Matthew (Marisa), Andrea (Fred) Wade; grandchildren, Gavin, Laine, Raef, Kian and George; dogs, Bear and Beau; extended family, friends, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He firmly believed that you have to laugh and smile every day, and tried to hold to that philosophy. His laugh, twinkling eyes, infectious smile and bigger than life personality will be missed by all of his friends and family.
Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m., on Monday, January 22, 2024 at Grahm-Hitch Mortuary, 4167 First St., Pleasanton, Calif. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 3999 Bernal Ave., Pleasanton, Calif. Burial will be St. Augustine's Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations in Don's memory to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (https://givenow.lls.org), the American Cancer Society (donate.cancer.org) or the charity of your choice.