Michael Anthony Haines

November 11, 1942 - July 2, 2023

Michael A. Haines November 11, 1944 - July 1, 2023

Michael Anthony Haines, 80 years of age, passed away peacefully at his home in Reno, Nevada on the date of his 46th Wedding Anniversary to Genie Haines. He was surrounded by his wife, family, and friends. The cause of death was due to complications from several underlying conditions.

Michael was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to Arthur B. Haines and Nora Regan Haines. His sister is Mitzi Ray of Redondo Beach, CA. The Haines family lived in Canada until 1950 when they moved to Glendale, California. Michael’s father took a job in industry and his mother became a real estate agent and then a broker. Michael and his sister attended primary and secondary schools in Glendale. Mike was an outstanding student with nearly a straight A average, was involved in many extra curricular activities, including music, cross country running, and track and field. He played drums professionally during high school and college.

After graduating with Honors from high school, he attended the University of California at Los Angeles, graduating in 1964 with a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology. Uncertain of his future and inspired to service, Mike joined the Navy, attended Officer’s Training School, was commissioned Lieutenant, (j.g.), and rose to the position of Executive Officer on both a destroyer and a supply vessel off of the coast of Vietnam during the height of the hostilities.

Following an Honorable Discharge from the Navy, Mike took the Law School Aptitude Test on a bet from a friend as to who could get a better score. Mike won the bet, and decided that law might be his calling. He entered Berkeley Law and studied with a vengeance for the next three years. He graduated 5th in his class of about 375 students and was awarded the Order of the Coif, a scholastic honor granted to the top ten percent of the class.

Mike’s legal practice focused on real estate and real estate related banking in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and throughout the western United States. After six years of working in two of the most prestigious law firms on the west coast, Mike opened a boutique real estate firm in the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco in 1977. Soon other attorneys followed him to his firm. He was admitted to practice before all California Courts, the Federal District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of California, the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. He retired from the practice of law in 2012 after 40 years in order to pursue his many other interests.

Mike was passionate about many things and almost an autodidact. Once he took up an interest, he would not let it go until he felt that he had mastered it, but once mastered he would drop it almost as quickly and move on to another. With music it was drums, then guitar, then singing then song writing, and then electronically harmonizing them. He took up flying and received his private pilot’s license in 1980. However, not satisfied with the mastery of that skill, he studied for and qualified as a commercial pilot even though he had no intention of ever flying commercially. It was simply the challenge that intrigued him. Similarly, he took up scuba diving and achieved the rank of Scuba Instructor, planned dive tours, and taught underprivileged children the basics of the sport. The list goes on: photographer, skier, snowboarder, hiker, biker, white water rafter, swimmer, sailor, volunteer fireman, medical missionary, adventurer, traveler, etc., with many anecdotes to match.

Loving husband and father, excellent provider, great humanitarian .... an extraordinary man and an extraordinary life, well lived.

A Graveside Service and Celebration of Life will be held at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery on July 29, 2023