William Newsom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Newsom
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| Born |
William Alfred Newsom III
February 15, 1934 |
| Died | December 12, 2018 (aged 84) San Francisco, California, U.S.
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| Education | University of San Francisco (BA) Stanford University (JD) |
| Occupation | Judge, lawyer |
| Spouse(s) |
Tessa Thomas Menzies
(m. 1966; div. 1972) |
| Children | 2; including Gavin |
William Alfred Newsom III (February 15, 1934 – December 12, 2018) was an American judge and lawyer. He served on the state appeals court. He also managed the money for the Getty family, who were very wealthy. William Newsom was the father of Gavin Newsom, who is now the Governor of California.
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Growing Up and Learning
William Newsom was born in San Francisco, California. His parents were Christine Anne and William A. Newsom II. Everyone called him Bill. He lived in San Francisco his whole life. His family had strong connections to politics and business.
His father helped with the election campaign for Pat Brown. Pat Brown later became the governor of California. William Newsom's sister, Barbara, was married to Ron Pelosi. Ron Pelosi is the brother-in-law of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
William Newsom was also good friends with Gordon Getty. Gordon Getty was the son of a very rich oil businessman named J. Paul Getty. Gordon Getty even lived in Newsom's house for a while when they were young.
Newsom went to the University of San Francisco. After that, he studied law at Stanford Law School. He became a lawyer in California in 1962.
What Did William Newsom Do?
William Newsom worked as a legal advisor for the Italian part of Getty Oil. He also helped the Getty family with their taxes.
In 1967, he married Tessa Menzies. They had two children, including Gavin. They divorced after five years.
In 1975, Governor Jerry Brown chose Newsom to be a judge. He first served in Auburn in Placer County. Later, he became a judge for the state Court of Appeal in San Francisco. He worked there until he retired in 1995.
Important Court Cases
As a judge, William Newsom made decisions on several important cases.
- He ruled on the right to privacy for people with HIV.
- He decided on the responsibility of the San Francisco 49ers football team for a player's injury.
- He ruled against the Bohemian Club because they did not allow women to work there.
Newsom believed in helping people who had been in trouble to get back on track. He was part of a group of judges who decided that the people involved in the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping could be considered for parole.
Managing Money for the Getty Family
William Newsom also gave financial advice to the Getty family businesses. He managed the Gordon P. Getty Family Trust. This trust was worth more than $2 billion. He looked for good investments and suggested where to put money. This included real estate, stocks, and other businesses. Newsom once said, "I make my living working for Gordon Getty."
Other Interests and Family Life
William Newsom cared a lot about the environment. He was on the boards of the Sierra Club Foundation and the Environmental Defense Fund. He also helped start the Mountain Lion Preservation Foundation. He was a member of Earth Justice, too. He loved otters and even had one as a pet!
Newsom enjoyed walking and would often take his son Gavin backpacking along the rivers of California. He had many books and loved to read.
William Newsom married Tessa in 1966. Their son Gavin was born the next year, and a daughter followed in 1968. They divorced soon after. Tessa passed away in 2002. In 2004, William Newsom gave the oath of office to Gavin when Gavin became the mayor of San Francisco.
When Did William Newsom Pass Away?
William Newsom died at his home in San Francisco on December 12, 2018. He was 84 years old. He passed away from a health condition called ulcerative colitis. His son Gavin became governor less than a month after his father's death.
