Marvin William Friedman

April 29, 1931 - February 5, 2021

Marvin William (Meyer Wolf) Friedman, born in the Bronx, New York on April 29, 1931, died peacefully at Pacifica Nursing and Rehab on Feb 5, 2021, of complications of adenocarcinoma. He graduated Brooklyn College (BA English) and fell in love with San Francisco, especially North Beach, when stationed in the Presidio during the Korean War. He loved justice and received his Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University, going on to solo private practice as a criminal defense lawyer, ending his legal career as a Superior Court Commissioner, where he sat as a judge for 20 years, mostly in Juvenile Court. He believed in justice for all and fought for it by doing pro bono death penalty appeals and working as a CASA volunteer.

He was a prodigious reader of Yiddish Literature, Chekhov, Proust, Anthony Powell and Shakespeare; poetry, politics, and newspapers. He loved playing handball with his friends at the South End Rowing Club. He believed in the Jewish concept of doing a mitzvah – a good deed -- every day, never drawing attention to his kindness, and helping many along the way.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, LeeAnna, and two sons from a previous marriage, Benjamin and Josh (Anna), grandchildren Isabel and Zachary; sister Dorothy Gray; niece Julia Gray; and cousins Diane Friedman; Bonnie Koloff, and Melinda Grossman.

No flowers please.

If you care to make a contribution in his name, his San Francisco favorites were: South End Rowing Club, Lamplighters Musical Theatre, Friends of the Jewish Community Library, and Morrison Chamber Music at SFSU. Special thanks to Pacifica Nursing and Rehab for their conscientious and kind care of Marvin in his last weeks, to Dex Tabura from Sutter Hospice at Home, and Juliet Borucki, Joy Woodard and Marishella Craft, who made it possible for Marvin to be at home for the previous year. There will be a gathering to celebrate Marvin’s life when Covid restrictions are lifted.