Jerry Phelan

1932 - 2020

Jerry Phelan
November 3, 1932 - December 20, 2020
Jerry John Phelan died peacefully in his home on December 20, 2020 from the frailties of old age. He was a brilliant lawyer and a loving family man.

Jerry was born in Seattle, WA on November 3, 1932 to Jack and Louise Phelan. The family soon moved to Pasadena, California where Jerry and his older brother Patrick grew up. Jerry graduated from Pomona College in 1953 and from Boalt Law School (now Berkeley Law) at the University of California, Berkeley in 1956. While at Berkeley, he was on the Law Review; he was a member of the Order of the Coif; and he received full academic scholarships during his last two years. As a law student, he worked as a legal clerk in the Kaiser Legal Department from 1955 through early 1957 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After his Army service, he clerked for a U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, and then worked at a small Oakland law firm.

Jerry then returned to the Kaiser Permanente Legal Department where he had a long, successful, and highly productive career. He handled many legal matters of foundational importance and long-term significance, including tax issues, financing, agreements with physician groups, and acquisitions of property, facilities, and health plans. To these endeavors he brought an outstanding legal mind, a superb sense of strategy, and negotiation skills of the highest order. He was a lawyer's lawyer. He was an excellent writer of clear and concise prose. His advice and counsel was sought and respected at every level of management. He retired as Kaiser Permanente's third General Counsel, in 1994. Jerry was also a generous mentor and supportive supervisor for a generation of lawyers and legal assistants within Kaiser Permanente. He taught them to think more clearly, write more succinctly, and always conduct themselves with the integrity that he modeled. And he had a magnificent sense of humor.

Jerry was married first to the late Theodora Steele Phelan, with whom he had two daughters: Maeve Phelan of Boulder, Colorado and Eileen Phelan Wallace of Portland, Maine. Jerry was married a second time, to Lois Wilderotter Phelan, who survives him. They were loving partners and best friends for 52 years. Their two children are Sheila Phelan Johnson and Daniel Phelan, who both reside in Oakland. Jerry treasured his grandchildren: Hillary and Jake Johnson and Ryan and Clara Wallace. He will be greatly missed by his family, who valued his loving and guiding hand, masterful storytelling and quick wit.

A memorial service will be held when Covid restrictions permit.