Robert Peter MacDonald

Born in San Francisco and raised in Ross and St. Helena, he lived most of his life in the Bay Area.

He graduated from St. Helena High School, briefly attended the University of California at Berkeley, then enlisted in the Army Air Corps (China-Burma-India Theater) for the duration of the Second World War.

Once discharged, he finished his Bachelor's degree at Berkeley, then attended and graduated from law school at Boalt Hall there.

He served as President of the University Students' Cooperative Association (the independent housing group now called the Berkeley Student Cooperative).

He worked several decades for the people of California as an Administrative Law Judge for the California State Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and Employment Development Department, also serving a term as President of the Administrative Law Judges Association.

While raising a family in Concord, he served on that city's Community Services Commission.

He was a lifelong devotee of Bay Area sports, particularly the Cal teams, baseball's San Francisco Seals, the 49ers, the Oakland A's, and the San Francisco Giants.

When he moved to Los Angeles for romantic reasons, he made sure to keep receiving the Chronicle by mail, because he felt that the LA papers did not cover sports properly.

He was very pleased that the San Francisco Giants won the World Series in his lifetime, not just once but twice.

He traveled widely, especially in retirement, and enjoyed hiking in the mountainous areas of California.

He was preceded in death by his parents Peter J. MacDonald and Mary "Macy" MacDonald, his brothers Edward J. MacDonald and Joseph D. MacDonald, and his sister Jean M. Hanson.

He is survived by his children Angus P. MacDonald and Suzanne MacDonald, grandchildren Ryan E. O'Halleran and Morgan A. O'Halleran, beloved partner of twenty-three years Sonia Duboe, former wife Janet B. MacDonald, daughter-in-law Karen Callahan, son-in-law Stephen Forkins, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The memorial is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 1:00 PM, at Keaton's Redwood Chapel of Marin, in Novato.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Berkeley Student Cooperative and to the UC Berkeley athletic programs.