William Taylor Tyson

August 1933 - April 2021

William T. Tyson (Bill) of San Diego, California, died

peacefully, aged 87. Born in Detroit, Michigan, the

only child of William and Dorothy Tyson. He

attended Dearborn H.S. and Henry Ford Community

College. Upon graduating from U of M with a BA in

1955, he enlisted in the Army, serving in Frankfurt,

W. Germany and then returned to earn his JD in

1960.

An adventurous soul, he hired a drive-away-car to

be delivered to ‘Sep-U-La-Veeda’ in LA. He had

trouble finding that street! He became an attorney

for Standard Oil Of California, San Francisco.

Moving to San Diego, he began his law career with

McGinnis Focht & Fitzgerald and soon hung out his

own shingle, devoting his practice to personal

injury.

At one time he had the largest solo legal practice in

the County of San Diego. He became the attorney

for Navy personnel.

During this time, he married Martha and raised two

sons, Matt and Zack who have followed their

father’s passion for law.

He and Gordon Churchill took on corporation

giants like Farmers Insurance and others. The San

Diego Trial Law Association (now CASD) awarded

him trial lawyer of the year.

As Chairman, Bill successfully tracked down and

engaged Ralph Nader to speak at the Joint Legal

and Medical Professions Annual Dinner. It took 5

days to catch Nader by calling at 6 a.m. NYC time

when he would pass by ‘His Phone Booth’, hear the

phone ring, and answer.

Bill built and designed Pacific Gateway Building

with Architect Larry Sillman at 1495 Pacific

Highway across from the Star of India and the San

Diego County Administration Building, filling it with

lawyers. It won the prestigious Central City Assoc.

Orchid Award for Architectural Design 1982.

He and Martha had played tennis at Wimbledon on

the People-To-People Tennis Tour, contributing to

International Good Will and Understanding through

Sports under President Gerald Ford in 1976.

Retiring under doctor’s orders, he devoted himself

to his family, consulting and taught TRIAL

TECHNIQUES at USD for one year.

Bill took Martha all over the world, living his

passion for exotic travel.

Keeping healthy, he coached his boys’ soccer

team, the King Cobras and joined San Diego Tennis

and Racquet Club. At age 65, he began playing golf.

Bill always loved West Coast jazz - ‘honkin’ and

screaming’ on the sax.

His favorite listening place: Proud Mary’s Southern

Bar and Grill (Jazz 88.3) on Kearny Mesa RD.

In quiet times he played Solitaire and read mystery

books, all 4,000 of which he donated to the

Veterans and to Oasis where he volunteered at the

Murder Mystery Book Club.

After living nearly 50 years in Pt. Loma, they moved

to The VI Senior Living. He became the Mystery

Man of VI when he started a small book club, giving

advice, loaning out his favorite books.

THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X by Keigo

Higashino, his first recommendation. Second, THE

PIANO TUNER by Daniel Mason. That book had led

him to visit Burma - now Myanmar.

His final advice to friends:

“Have a good day and if you don’t,

call your lawyer!”

Memorial services pending: Miramar National

Cemetery.