John Sutro; Civic Leader and Former President of State Bar

SAN FRANCISCO —  John Sutro, a former president of the State Bar of California, civic leader and descendant of a pioneering California family, has died. He was 88.

Sutro, who headed the State Bar from 1965 to 1966, died Monday at his home after a long illness.

He was a partner in the San Francisco law firm bearing his family name, Pillsbury Madison & Sutro, from 1935 to 1971. He served as president of the San Francisco Bar Assn. and chairman of the Federal Judiciary Committee of the American Bar Assn., and from 1962 to 1966 was on the board of governors of the State Bar of California.

Sutro also served as president of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1973 and 1974, was a member of the Airports Commission from 1970 to 1974 and was on the board of directors of the Kaiser Steel Corp. and Bank of California.

Sutro was an avid outdoorsman, duck hunter and amateur cowboy. He enjoyed doing rodeo-style team roping with friends on his Napa County ranch.

Sutro was born to a pioneer family in San Francisco in 1905. He graduated from Stanford University in 1926 and got his law degree from Harvard University in 1929.

During World War II, Sutro helped organize protocol for the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco in 1945.

He served as national vice president and director of the Navy League of the United States in the 1950s and 1960s.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; a son, Marin Municipal Judge John Sutro Jr.; two daughters; 17 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.