John Plotz

February 17, 1948 - September 6, 2018

John Plotz of Hayward, California, died September 6, 2018, following a heart attack. He was 70 years old.

John was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1948. He graduated from his local public high school – Erasmus Hall – and Harvard College, where he was a member of the Lampoon. He came to California in 1972 to attend U.C. Berkeley Law School – and, liking the people and the climate, he never left.

John practiced a great variety of law in the Bay Area. Most notably, he represented labor unions through the Van Bourg law firm. He taught American law in Peking University for a year, and another year at Sun Yatsen University as a Fulbright Scholar. He lived for decades on Bateman Street in Berkeley, but most recently in Hayward.

John was a liberal and a socialist and a secular Jew. He tried to oppose racism and misogyny. He was arrested four times for various political causes. In 1985, John cofounded Harvard-Radcliffe Alumni Against Apartheid, endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. John also authored an amendment to the California Constitution designed to reform the state’s judicial watchdog agency. The amendment was enacted by the California voters, but failed to accomplish real change. For a number of years John volunteered as a “night reader” at the Juvenile Halls of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. He played music and read stories in the evening to the boys and girls who were incarcerated. John enjoyed cooking, eating, reading, writing and gardening. Some of his writing can be found at his website: secularhumorist. net.

John was dogged by depression his whole life – but he tried to deal with it. He was generous, had a good sense of humor and a quick wit – but too sharp a tongue.

John is survived by his much beloved wife Rebecca Mary Abrams, his son David and his wife Lily, his son Michael and his grandchildren Milton, James, Maia, Eva, and Saul. He is also survived by his brother Paul, sisters Elizabeth and Sarah, and his former wife Suzanna Yeh. You may contact Rebecca at rmabrams@sbcglobal. net

Donations, in his name, may be sent to Chimp Haven.org or Act Blue.com