Pamela VandenBossche

February 22, 1946 - January 1, 2019

Pamela VandenBossche, who lived most of her adult life in Hillsborough, died on January 1 at age 72 from complications of a long illness.

Born on February 22, 1946 and raised in Houston, Texas, Pam was the only child of Howard and Gladys Cohenour. She attended the Kinkaid School in Houston before entering college at the University of Colorado, Boulder. After two years she transferred to the University of Texas, Austin where she graduated with an undergraduate degree in English and History. Following her graduation in 1968, Pam headed west to settle in San Francisco. She brought with her a generous dollop of southern charm, along with a strong sense of independence, optimism and levelheaded determination.

Pam put these attributes to good use when she chose to pursue a career in Finance. In 1969 she took a position as a Secretary and Broker’s Aid at Solomon Brothers and quickly honed in on her desired career path as a salesperson. Breaking into the male-dominated investment banking world of the 1970’s, Pam was ahead of her time. Starting as a Sales Assistant with Lehman Commercial Paper in 1971, it took her another year to acquire her license and become a Security Salesperson. Pam rose to become a Senior Vice President in fixed income institutional client sales at Lehman Brothers. She retired in 2006 after 35 years with the Firm.

Pam’s highly successful professional career helped inspire countless colleagues from all walks of life with her belief in showing up, working hard, and being honest. Although Pam’s professional responsibilities within Lehman Brothers changed over the years, her focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with her clients were consistent drivers of her success. Known to keep a Zagat guide in her purse, she enjoyed entertaining her clients and planing special events.

It wasn’t all work for Pam who loved connecting with people and having a good time, another area where that southern charm shined. Despite her busy schedule, she maintained long lasting friendships with people who loved and admired her. She was a beautiful woman with a bright smile who enjoyed all the best things in life and lived it to the fullest. With broad interests in food, entertaining, design, art, culture and travel, Pam was all about discovering new experiences and sharing them with those she cared about most.

Those who know and were fond of Pam will remember her charisma and zest for life. None more so than her three children, all who survive her: Bay Area residents Clayton and Margot, and Lacey, who lives in Nevada.

A memorial celebration is scheduled for 4:30 pm on February 24 at a private residence in Hillsborough. For further information or for those interested in remembering Pam, please email pamelavandenb@ gmail.com.