John Edward Sears

John was born on August 9, 1951 to Bessie and Edward Astle Sears in Oakland, CA. He grew up in San Francisco until his parents moved to Hillsborough. After graduating from Burlingame High in 1969, he went on to get a B.A. of Science at Santa Clara where he met Mary Lou Jauch. After graduation, John continued his education, getting his J.D. at Gonzaga in 1977 and his LLM from NYU in 1978.

In 1978, John and Mary wed in Mission Santa Clara in an intimate ceremony. John began his career as an Estate Planning & Probate, Tax Attorney. In 2005, John was selected to Super Lawyers. This peer designation is awarded only to a select number of accomplished attorneys in each state, taking into account peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice. John waffled when trying to commit to a retirement date as he was so passionate about helping his clients!

John loved spending time with his wife and best friend, Mary Lou. They enjoyed cooking, traveling the world and remodeling homes together. One particular trip that stands out is their recent visit to Walt Disney World - they couldn’t believe how much walking they did! John was looking forward to completing their LA house remodel and then resuming their international travels; Mongolia and India were on the top of the list. John loved taking photos, reading everything he could get his hands on, the coolest new gadgets and anything aerospace. He also loved having a scotch with his best bud Bill Belardi while sitting in the sun together in Sonoma.

John is survived by his wife Mary Lou Sears, his brother Richard Sears, his sister Katherine Olsen, and countless close friends who consider him family.

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” - Leonardo da Vinci