Atherton loses a dedicated council member with death of Bill Conwell Atherton loses a dedicated council member with death of Bill Conwell (January 04, 2006)

**Bill Conwell, long active in community, dies on Christmas morning.

By Marjorie Mader

Almanac Staff Writer

Former Atherton Mayor William "Bill" R. Conwell, who served the community he loved as a council member for 19 consecutive years, up to the time of his death, is being remembered as "one of a kind."

He raised his four children as a single parent, developed a successful commercial insurance business, became a successful investor and entrepreneur, and loved flying his World War II planes, called "War Birds."

Mr. Conwell, 83, died early Christmas morning in his sleep at his Atherton home. He was diagnosed with lung cancer about three months ago and had begun treatment, but didn't seem to rebound, said his son Paul Conwell. The cancer moved aggressively, attacking his lungs and brain.

Services for Mr. Conwell are being planned at St. Raymond's Catholic Church in Menlo Park for mid-January, with a reception afterward.

Mr. Conwell was born on a farm August 12, 1922, in Iowa, 7 miles from the largest town of Grand River -- population 500. He decided at an early age that he didn't want to be a farmer like his father, said Paul Conwell.

Growing up, Mr. Conwell went to a one-room school and graduated from a community high school and a local community college. He then taught high school, where he was younger than some of his students

A turning point for Mr. Conwell came when he volunteered for the Army Air Corps after World War II started. He became a B-25 bomber pilot, flying in the Pacific Theater.

He gained membership in the "Caterpillar Club" of pilots after he and his crew were forced to bail and unfurl their silk parachutes when their plane was going down. He also flew transports during the occupation of Japan.

After the war, Mr. Conwell returned to the Midwest and graduated from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri, with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

While in Kansas, he met and married Leona Heideman on New Year's Day in 1950. They began raising a family and in 1956 moved to California. He opened an insurance office in Burlingame and the family found a home in the new Westlake area of Daly City.

When his wife died in 1957, Mr. Conwell insisted on caring for his four children, who ranged in age from 2 to 7, himself. His greatest concern was for his children, and he "raised us well" with help from housekeepers," said his son Paul. He said his father was very successful in the commercial insurance business for automobile dealers, and became a successful entrepreneur and investor when he closed his insurance business in 1996.

Mr. Conwell's business success enabled him to build a home on Atherton Avenue in Atherton in 1969. The move, Mr. Conwell often quipped, was the first time he saw the sun in 13 years after living in fog-bound Daly City. He thought Atherton was the ideal place to live, his son said.

"My father had a strong personality," said his son Paul. "Most people liked him and liked him a great deal. Many have said he was like a father to them, an adviser who cared and gave practical advice."

Mr. Conwell entered the Atherton political scene when he was elected to the council in 1986. He was re-elected four times.

He served as mayor in 1994 and during his final year on the council, a position he held until the council's December meeting, when he was to pass the gavel to Councilman Charles Marsala. Mr. Conwell was too ill to attend the meeting, however.

When he was unanimously elected mayor for 2005, he said, "I don't know of any item I would cherish more than being mayor of our town," and declared that instead of seeing problems facing Atherton, he sees challenges.

He was known for his "fiscal conservatism," strong opinions and advocacy of open government -- as well as for his bow ties. He enjoyed people and would often welcome a newcomer to Atherton with a visit, a box of oranges and an invitation to be involved in local government, said his son.

Malcolm Dudley, longtime Atherton councilman and former mayor, recalls meeting Mr. Conwell in the early 1970s when Mr. Dudley was concerned with the potential impact of the new Dumbarton Bridge on the area. Mr. Conwell joined the cause and later was among Mr. Dudley's first supporters when he ran for the Atherton council.

"Bill has truly been a dedicated public servant," said Mr. Dudley. "He loved the town; loved his Palm Springs pied-a-terre; loved Holbrook-Palmer Park; loved his antique planes, the air shows, and his flying. He loved his involvement in the broader area with his participation on the Criminal Justice Council, the Council of Cities and other regional commissions. Bill was always concerned about the town's finances, though he was personally very generous."

Mr. Dudley served with Mr. Conwell during his first 14 years on the Atherton City Council. "He seldom ever missed a meeting, and he seemed to genuinely enjoy all of his council and committee participation," said Mr. Dudley. "We often attended the Council of Cities meetings together, even flying to one of those meetings in one of his antique planes. Bill had a genuine zest for life."

"Bill Conwell was certainly one of a kind," said Nan Chapman, who served with him for 14 of her 20 years on the council. "His life was the city council. There was nothing he cherished more.

"He particularly seemed to relish playing the role of the devil's advocate. Regardless of which issue we found ourselves discussing, we could count on Bill to be a fierce advocate for his position, which quite often was different from that of the rest of us," said Ms. Chapman.

Fellow council member Charles Marsala said he worked closely last year with Mr. Conwell, who became a good friend and a mentor when Mr. Marsala was vice mayor. He went flying with Mr. Conwell last August in his Navy trainer, and Mr. Conwell did a couple of barrel rolls during the flight from San Carlos airport over Atherton, Half Moon Bay and Los Gatos.

"Bill brought a direction to the council of cost consciousness and belt-tightening that has placed us in a better financial position than other towns," said Mr. Marsala. He said Mr. Conwell was in control as a leader during the last months even though he was fighting illness.

Mr. Conwell was a longtime director of the Atherton Civic Interest League, and received the organization's "Good Neighbor" award in 2004. He also was active in county government as a member of the county's Criminal Justice Committee, the San Francisco International Airport Roundtable, and the City/County Association of Governments, called CCAG.

He is survived by his sons, John Conwell of Atherton and Paul Conwell, recently of Los Angeles; two daughters, Margaret Conwell Patterson of Novato and Beth Conwell Robertson of North Hills, California; and two granddaughters Sarah and Jennifer Robertson.

Information about the services for Mr. Conwell will be published in the Almanac when it becomes available.

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