Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 05:49:56 :
Independent Journal
Friday, July 18, 1980
Pat Hetherton dies
Pat Hetherton, Marin civic leader and former long-time member of the San Rafael Planning commission, died Thursday at the age of 95 at The Tamalpais retirement center in Greenbrae.
Hetherton served on the San Rafael Planning commission from 1954 to 1970 and was chairman 10 years of that time. During his tenure on the commission a large portion of Terra Linda was annexed to San Rafael and the Peacock Gap development and the Meadows in Terra Linda were studied and approved.
At the age of 85 he was presented with a civic award for his years of service by Paul Bettini, then mayor of San Rafael. The city also gave the name Hetherton Street to the entrance route to San Rafael from the north in his honor.
Hetherton was a native of Dumbarton, Scotland, and was educated at the Dumbarton Academy. He came to America at the age of 16 to become a cowboy in the Dakotas. Later he earned a degree in mechanical engineering at t he University of Minnesota.
He served as a captain in the Army during World War I and afterwards held federal posts as consultant for the Natural Resources Task Force of the First Hoover Commission and consultant to the Department of Interior.
He knew President Hoover, who headed the Food Administration during World War I. He also served on the Hungry Horse project in Kalispell, Mont., and later was appointed consultant by the National Resources Planning Board to the Washington State Planning Council. During World War II he helped draw up a report on the State of Washington defense resources.
He had gained fame in early American planning circles in 1928 for his work in planning the new city of Longview, Wash.
In 1953 Hetherton moved to San Rafael and became acquainted with John McInnis, then mayor. Learning of Hetherton’s experiences in Washington in city, county, state and regional planning, McInnis appointed him to the first vacancy on the planning commission.
Hetherton also was a member and a former officer of the Marin Conservation League. He was a past president of the San Rafael Rotary Club, a life member of the American Institute of Planners and the American Society of Planning Officials.
Hetherton lived in San Rafael until moving to The Tamalpais in 1970.
Hetherton’s wife, Louise, died in 1969. He is survived by his daughter, Jean Conner of Sausalito.
At his requests, his ashes will be scattered on San Francisco Bay and there will be no service.
The family prefers contributions to Hetherton’s memorial fund at Christ Episcopal Church in Sausalito.
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