Stephen Elsas Kalish

Kalish, Stephen Elsas

January 14, 1942 – December 18, 2019

Stephen E. Kalish, 77, died December 18, 2019, at his home in Redmond, Washington, surrounded by his family. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, graduated St. Louis Country Day School in 1960, and received his B.A., J.D, and LL.M degrees from Harvard University.

Upon graduation from law school, he clerked for Judge L. P. Moore, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He practiced law in Los Angeles for a law firm and the Western Center for Law and Poverty before joining the faculty of the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1971 where he taught Legal Process, Legal History, Legal Profession, Corporations, and Advanced Corporations. He also served as the director of the Center for the Teaching and Study of Applied Ethics. While at the College, he served a Fellow in Law and Humanities at Harvard, a Fellow in Law and Economics at the University of Miami, an academic visitor at the London School of Economics, and a scholar in residence at King's College, London. He retired in 2005 and moved with his wife Suzanne to the Seattle area.

Steve married Suzanne Hoodenpyle in 1971 and was the father of Karen (David) Rigberg of Santa Monica, California; Andrew (Wendy) Kalish of Denver, Colorado; and Daniel (Grace) Kalish of Seattle, Washington, and the grandfather of Sandra and Jonny Rigberg; Manning, Wyatt, and Eva Kalish; and Alex and Sam Kalish. He is also survived by his brothers Lyle (Sue) Kalish and Eugene (Anne) Kalish and his nieces and nephews.

Steve's many interests included bridge, photography, books, bicycling, tennis, opera, chamber music, traveling the world with Suzanne, and spirited conversations during which he often took controversial positions to provoke discussion. He had an avid interest in attorney Clarence Darrow and taught a number of courses based on his life.

His life will be celebrated at a gathering at Trilogy Clubhouse in Redmond on Sunday, January 19 at 1 p.m. Donations in his memory may be made to, ACLU, Planned Parenthood, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or the University of Nebraska College of Law.