Barry Bunshoft Obituary

Barry Bunshoft
08/02/1934 - 12/31/2025
Barry Lawrence Bunshoft was born on August 2, 1934, and passed away on December 31, 2025 at the age of 91, surrounded by loved ones. He was predeceased by his parents, Abraham Bunshoft and Sadie Goldberg Bunshoft, and his wife, Sylvia Bunshoft. He grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts, and attended Brookline High School, where he made life-long friends. He attended college at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he was editor of the daily newspaper, and Harvard Law School. Between college and law school, he served for three years as an officer in the U.S. Navy and went to sea on the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier. Barry looked back upon his time in the Navy as one of the best experiences of his life.
The Navy brought Barry to San Francisco for the first time, which "wowed" him so much that he moved there to work as a Deputy Attorney General of California after graduating from law school. In addition to prosecuting "white collar" crime and advocating for the Attorney General's legislative program, he found good friends and mentors, including former Attorney General Mosk and his Chief Deputy, Charles O'Brien.
After leaving the Attorney General's Office, Barry joined a law firm that eventually became Hancock, Rothert and Bunshoft. He served as chairman of the firm for many years and was a brilliant trial attorney. Most memorable of his many cases were the trial at the Hague against the National Iranian Oil Corporation, the trial defending Alpine Meadows Ski Area in a wrongful death case after a devastating avalanche, and the trial defending Lloyd's of London in an insurance coverage case over who had to pay the billion-dollar cost of cleaning up the hazardous waste at Shell Oil's Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado. Over the years, Barry mentored and nurtured generations of younger lawyers and was proud of their accomplishments.
Barry was deeply involved with his community, with a particular interest in protecting the environment. He was a board member and chairman of the Legal Committee of the Save San Francisco Bay Association. They saved the San Francisco waterfront from being filled in for office building construction; they saved the waterfronts of Berkeley, Richmond and San Mateo from commercial land reclamation; and they sponsored legislation to create public access all around the Bay. Barry also previously served as a board member of the Coro Foundation and the Webb Schools of California, where his son Adam went to high school. For many years he served as a U.S. representative to the International Ski Federation (FIS), the international governing body for skiing, which brought him to meetings all over the world.
Barry's interest in politics started when he volunteered for the John F. Kennedy campaign for president in 1960. When his friend Michael Dukakis ran for president, he became even more involved in politics. Barry and Sylvia hosted numerous fundraisers for candidates from the local school board to president of the United States at their home in Presidio Heights.
Barry met Sylvia in San Francisco in 1962, and they were married in 1966 in Brookline. They enjoyed the outdoors a great deal, from skiing at Squaw Valley in the winter to hiking and camping in the High Sierra in the summer. They lived first on the Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill, then in the Berkeley hills for a few years before moving to their long-time family home in Presidio Heights. Son Adam was born in 1970 and daughter Jennifer was born in 1971. As a family, they traveled extensively, especially in Europe. Barry spent a lot of time in London, where his law firm had an office and a flat, and his family shared many memorable experiences there when they joined him in the summers.
In later years, Barry and Sylvia moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, where they found a wonderful community of friends. To continue his law practice, Barry passed the Idaho Bar at age 71. He served on the board of the Wood River Land Trust, using his considerable law background to contribute to the Land Trust's protection of the Wood River Valley, including Colorado Gulch Preserve, Rinker Rock Creek Ranch, and Hailey Hot Springs Ranch, and conservation easement defense. His no-nonsense approach as a board member helped keep the board grounded in its mission, ambitious in its goals, and smart about its strategy.
It was through the Land Trust that Barry met Kathie Levison, who would later become his late-in-life love. They enjoyed going on walks with their beloved dogs, cooking together, sailing, golfing, reading, and travel. Kathie and her family helped provide great care and comfort to Barry during his battle with cancer, and Kathie was with him at the end.
Barry was a loving father who took care of and "showed up" for his family. He will be remembered for his quick wit, his intelligence and insight, and his passion for life. He enjoyed sailing his boat in the San Francisco Bay, skiing (until he was 89), golfing (until a few months ago), and rooting for the San Francisco 49ers and his favorite team from childhood, the Boston Red Sox. Barry could always be counted upon to give a fantastic and funny impromptu speech, and he had a very impressive collection of navy-blue cashmere sweaters.
Barry is survived by his son, Adam Bunshoft (Kathleen Waters), his daughter, Jennifer Bunshoft (Ruggero Pergher), his granddaughters, Mary Bunshoft, Elizabeth Bunshoft and Isabel Pergher, his niece, Susan Ardisson (Joseph Decker), and his partner, Kathie Levison. There will be memorial gatherings for Barry on February 28, 2026, at 3:00 pm at 5 Willow Road, in Sun Valley, and on March 14, 2026, at 3:00 pm at St. Francis Yacht Club, in San Francisco. The family requests that any donations in Barry's memory be made to Wood River Land Trust, www.woodriverlandtrust.org. Arrangements are under the care of Wilks Magic Valley Funeral Home. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.