Leo Joseph O'Brien

1928 - 2023

Leo Joseph O'Brien
October 22, 1928 - August 15, 2023
Leo was born in San Francisco to Agnes and Leo Ignatius O'Brien and passed away peacefully at home in Moraga, CA on August 15, 2023 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Carol Joanne O'Brien, three children and their spouses, Erin Bakonyvari (Peter), Leo O'Brien (Vandy), Sean O'Brien (Debra), and six grandchildren, Ryan, Cayley, Truman, Katie, Nolan, and Matthew, who were the delight of his life, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins, including Bev and Judy Haley and Jim and Joe Murray. Leo is preceded in death by his parents and his beloved siblings John Joseph O'Brien (Patricia) and Lucille Ingels (Dick).
Leo grew up in the Sunset District, with the sand dunes and Golden Gate Park as his childhood playgrounds. Leo was a lifelong learner who attended St. Anne of the Sunset Elementary School, St. Ignatius High School, and worked various jobs as a young man to pay for his education at University of San Francisco (USF) and USF Law School.
Leo had a long and distinguished career as a lawyer and law professor. He was drafted in 1953 near the end of the Korean War. He received a direct commission as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. He served in the Pentagon where he had fascinating and formative legal experiences and developed many lifelong friendships. While in DC, he worked to further his legal education and received a Master of Laws degree (LLM) at Georgetown University.
On release from active duty, Leo joined San Francisco law firm Hoberg and Finger. Thereafter, he joined the USF law faculty where he began his career in legal education, teaching a wide range of subjects – his favorites were constitutional law, torts, and evidence. Leo enjoyed sharing his knowledge and engaging in debate with aspiring lawyers, teaching thousands of students. He valued his education at Jesuit institutions and was proud to serve as Dean of Gonzaga University School of Law and Dean of Loyola Law School. He was also a Professor at Notre Dame Law School before joining the faculty of U.C. Hastings College of the Law. During his long career he also enjoyed expanding his intellectual circles by teaching at many other law schools, including Georgetown, U.C. Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of San Diego and Washington and Lee, as well as teaching specialty programs at Princeton, University of North Carolina, and Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
He was a brilliant man of deep faith, and was an active and respected member of many legal, religious, and civic organizations. He had many leadership roles, most notably at the St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco, the Lawyers Club of San Francisco, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Catholic Alumni Club. He was a long-time supporter of USF Law School serving several terms on the Board of the USF Law Society and the USF Alumni Association. Leo was also a member of the Olympic Club for over 60 years, where he swam on the Olympic Club Masters team during his 70's and early 80's.
In retirement, Leo continued his lifetime of scholarship and service, as a board member of both the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology and the Franciscan School of Theology at the Graduate Theological Union, and also served in many leadership roles at his parish, Santa Maria Church in Orinda.
Leo's intellectual pursuits were equaled only by his love for family and, especially, his wife Carol. Leo and Carol were avid travelers, visiting every continent and many different countries. He shared stories for years about their trips to Chile, Israel, China, Ireland, and Japan. Although he wasn't a gambling man, Leo had an affinity for horse races and traveled to the Kentucky Derby and the Irish Derby at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland. Over his lifetime, Leo's curiosity, interests, and academic appointments led him to travel to every U.S. state and territory, including an especially memorable trip to Alaska.
Leo was a faithful 49er fan who began following the team when they played at Kezar Stadium in the 1940's and was a season ticket holder for decades. He also enjoyed rooting for the SF Giants, Oakland A's, and the USF Dons basketball team. Leo also enjoyed playing cards and was a skilled bridge player. He spent many evenings with Carol and friends around the card table. In his later years, Leo expressed his creativity through poetry, and wrote many amusing poems, limericks, and rhymes to the delight of those who loved him.
Leo was a dedicated family man devoted to his church, his friends, his students, and his country. He was always warm and personable and eager to strike up a conversation with friends and strangers alike. His friends and family will miss his witty sense of humor, genuine and thoughtful nature, unparalleled memory, and entertaining stories. Leo was a wonderful person who touched the lives of many and made the world a better place.
Memorial service will be held at Santa Maria Church in Orinda on September 8, 2023.