Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 08:14:16 :
Marin Independent Journal
Monday, August 12, 2002
Sherman Leland, Jr.
One of San Francisco's most colorful personalities, Sherman Leland, Jr., 71, died of pneumonia at Marin General Hospital on the morning of August 8th, 2002. A lawyer and fourth generation San Franciscan, he worked in commercial real estate in San Francisco and Marin. Descendant of an early California pioneer family that migrated from Massachusetts during the Gold Rush, Sherman was the son of Sherman Leland M.D. and Marialice Donohue Leland. He was the grandson of T.B.W. Leland M.D., the coroner of San Francisco for many years, and Florence McMahon Leland. Born in San Francisco, he graduated from Washington High School and the University of California at Berkeley. He enjoyed lifetime friendships of his Psi Upsilon fraternity. After serving in the Army during the Korean War, he graduated from George Washington University Law School. Having met on a summer trip to Europe, Sherman married Diane Smith of Dover, Delaware, who survives him. Sherman is also survived by his daughter, Anne Kiernan of San Francisco and her children Jake and Kate, and his son Sherman Leland III of Oakland and his children Sophia and Griffin. Surviving him also are his sisters Sylvia Day of Belvedere, Jane Pedley of San Francisco and Betsy Link of Los Angeles. Sherman was a member of the California Pioneer Society and the "Marin Joe's Club". Long a resident of San Francisco and Novato, in recent years he produced Chateau Sherman merlot from his Marin vineyard grapes. A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, August 13th at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church, 1801 Novato Blvd., Novato. Keaton's Redwood Chapel 415-897-1151.
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San Francisco Chronicle
Friday, August 9, 2002
Sherman Leland Jr. -- Gold Rush descendant
by Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sherman Leland Jr., a well-known San Francisco personality who descended from Gold Rush pioneers and was the grandson of a longtime city coroner, died early Thursday of pneumonia. He was 71.
Mr. Leland, a lawyer who was known about town as a lovably gloomy cynic, was pronounced dead at Marin General Hospital, near his home in Novato.
A fourth-generation San Franciscan, his ancestors came from Massachusetts during the Gold Rush. His father, and namesake, was a doctor, and his grandfather, T.B.W. Leland, was the coroner of San Francisco for many years.
Mr. Leland graduated from Lowell High School and got a degree in political science at UC Berkeley in 1952, where he also played rugby.
He served in the Army during the Korean War and received a law degree in 1957 from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. Mr. Leland worked as a banker and real estate agent and once owned a nursery in Larkspur. In 1984 he moved to Novato, where he made wine from his own vineyard and also sold real estate.
But he never deserted his boyhood home and was a frequent customer of San Francisco eating and drinking establishments. Big, with a gloomy mien, Mr. Leland was well known for his cynical view of life. Michael McCourt, the sage bartender at the Buchanan Grill, facetiously called him "Little Miss Mary Sunshine."
But friends and relatives said underneath that gruff facade was a humorous, charming man who was quite happy, especially when he was hanging around with his pals.
He is survived by his wife, Diane, of Novato; a daughter, Anne Kiernan of San Francisco; a son, Sherman Leland III of Oakland; three sisters, Sylvia Day of Belvedere, Jane Pedley of San Francisco and Betsy Link of Los Angeles; and four grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church, 1806 Novato Blvd., Novato.
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