Philip M. Jelley

1932 - 2023

Philip M. Jelley
February 29, 1932 - April 5, 2023
Philip M. Jelley, an Oakland, California attorney died on April 5, 2023 at the age of 91. He was a leap year baby born on February 29, 1932. He attended St. Albans School in Washington DC, the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and received his Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School in the Class of 1956.
Phil commenced his law practice with Fitzgerald Abbot & Beardsley LLP of Oakland, California in March 1956, an association that continued until his firm's merger in 2014 when he became Of Counsel to Donahue Fitzgerald LLP. Phil was a certified specialist in tax law and during his career represented many corporate clients and non-profit organizations. He frequently served as Judge Pro Tem in the Alameda County Courts.
Phil was an enthusiastic opera aficionado and attended numerous performances worldwide. He served on the Boards of the San Francisco Opera (1974 until 2019) and the Santa Fe Opera (1986 until 2019). He was active in the Episcopal Church and participated in many parish, Diocesan and national entities. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California for 30 years and was Chairman of the Board and also served on the Board of The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California for 11 years.
Phil was an active member of the Pacific-Union Club in San Francisco where he usually could be found in the domino room. He was also a member of the Claremont Country Club in Oakland and the Old Capital Club in Monterey.
Phil is survived by his wife of 35 years, Patricia. He is also survived by daughters Susan and Patricia and son Philip Jr., the children of a prior marriage. He is further survived by four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A service celebrating Phil's life will be offered on Friday, June 2, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Orinda. A private family burial will immediately follow at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.
The family suggests that contributions in Phil's memory be made to St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington DC 20016 or the Patricia and Philip Jelley Apprenticeship Fund at the Santa Fe Opera, P.O. Box 2408, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504.