William "Bill" Owen

1931 - 2024

William "Bill" Owen
12/05/1931 - 08/02/2024
William Owen, "Bill" to his friends, was a native of the Bay Area born in San Francisco in 1931 to proud parents William H. and Blanche Owen. After traversing the streets of San Francisco on various contraptions from a Flexi-Flyer to iterations of a Ford Model T., he attended Lowell High School where he began to develop lifelong friendships playing various sports and rowing crew. After high school, he attended "the local public college", the University of California at Berkeley. Bill rowed crew for Cal, was an active member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity, and even played in the Rose Bowl one year as a member of the Cal Marching Band.
His roots in San Francisco and Cal ran deep. Anyone could tell he was an avid supporter of Cal Athletics by his signature Blue and Gold everything and the Bear Backer stickers on his vehicles, all of which were purchased in their factory blue option. GoBears!
Bill went on to serve our country in the US Airforce and returned home to attend Stanford Law School graduating in 1958. Finding a knack for trial law, Bill founded a law firm with his partners to create Owen, Melbye & Rohlff in Redwood City.
Bill's time was precious and he shared it with his love for family, friends, aviation, Cal Football, and good times. If not preparing for trial, Bill would be found at either Lake Tahoe teaching family and friends to ski (on the mountains at Squaw Valley or on The Lake behind his beloved Chris-Craft) or on a golf course in Woodside or Palm Desert playing in a Father-Son or family tournament.
Post-retirement in 2000, he and his wife Trish, set out to visit a lifetime of friends and family at various events across the country. This time the trips were at ground level as they made many memories along the way.
Bill rejoins his beloved mother and father, Blanch (m. Hartley) and William Hammond Owen, and is survived by his wife, partner, confidant, and best friend of 48 years, Trish Owen (m.Garibaldi), his two sons, Jeff and Tom Owen (s. Janet), his two granddaughters, Chloe and Catherine Owen, and generations of Garibaldi cousins, nieces, nephews and "add-ons" who dearly loved their Uncle Bill.
Bill was a "life well lived". Full of adventures, success, and enough hardship to value the difference. He was never one for the limelight but quietly generous with a word or a hand, and in many ways, inspiring those around him to be better themselves. Bill's absence will surely be felt but that void will eventually be filled with laughter and warm memories from people who are better because of him. GodSpeed Bill.