By Eliza Ridgeway

Siegel

William “Bill” Siegel, 85, died Sept. 17 in San Francisco. The former Santa Clara County executive had served three terms as Los Altos Hills councilman and mayor before he retired to San Francisco in 2000.

“He was the wise man on the city council,” said Elayne Dauber, who served on the council with Mr. Siegel. “He always saw both sides and proposed good legislation - he was the kind father on the city council. They were very contentious years. People could be arguing a lot, but when Bill stepped in, he could usually come up with something everyone could go along with.”

Mr. Siegel was born and educated in Michigan and served in the Navy before moving to Santa Clara County. An attorney and civic leader, he began working for the county in 1959 as assistant county counsel. In 1969 he was appointed to the post of county counsel and in 1976 became county executive, a job he filled until his retirement in 1981.

Mr. Siegel is remembered for his leadership in supporting environmentally progressive development in the county without sacrificing fiscal conservatism, said Gerry Steinberg, a former member of the county board of supervisors.

“He had a gift for bringing both sides together,” said Rod Diridon, who also served on the board of supervisors. “He was a quintessential gentleman.”

He was “the kind of leader who didn’t dwell on conflict at all,” said Nancy Wiener, a family friend. “He tried to bring all partners together, no matter how far apart they were. He had great empathy for the underdog. He cared about the residents of Los Altos Hills as well as the residents in the county.”

Mr. Siegel moved to Los Altos Hills more than 30 years ago when he married Rita Stern, a town resident. She died in 1988. Steinberg remembered when, as Mr. Siegel’s newest employee, she set him up on a first date with her cousin Rita.

“Rita was like a little girl, she hadn’t dated for years and years. He came to dinner and they just hit it off immediately,” Steinberg said. “They were in their 50s. It was just really romantic.”

Each had been married before and brought two children to the new family. Mr. Steinberg owned a sailboat and enjoyed sailing in the area. He also maintained a love for the opera throughout his life.

The Santa Clara County Fire District will provide an honor guard for Mr. Siegel’s memorial service, scheduled for Oct. 14 at Los Altos Hills Town Hall. Mr. Siegel served on the Fire Commission for approximately 20 years. He negotiated the Los Altos/Los Altos Hills fire contract in 1996 and planned the new El Monte fire station on the Foothill campus.

“Bill was very quiet and introspective, but still a wonderful, cultured individual,” said Duffy Price, a family friend. “He was just a real avant-garde guy.”

Mr. Siegel is survived by his children, Cathy Siegel of Portola Valley and Paul Siegel of Dixon; stepchildren, Jan Stern Napa and Wendy Stern of Tenakee Springs, Alaska; former wife Helen Stevenson of San Francisco and his grandchildren. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Oct. 14 at Los Altos Hills Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road.