November 18, 1940 �" July 31, 2014
Jon Henry Kouba passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, July 31, in the comfort of his apartment with his partner, Mark Eriksson, at his side. He was 73 and died after a lengthy illness.
Jon had been a longtime resident of San Francisco, having arrived here in 1966 from Michigan. He had a strong allegiance to the University of Michigan, where he did his undergraduate work and then went on to attend its law school. Jon was in fact born at the university hospital and so his connection to the university was lifelong. In recent years, Jon established an endowment fund for the university law school to promote international law studies relating to peace and security, and the Kouba Essay Prize is awarded each year to a U-M law student studying abroad.
He had a successful career as an attorney in private practice.
Jon's undergraduate major was political science and he continued his love for that subject as he actively served his community. Jon was president of the San Francisco Redevelopment Commission during the Jordan and Brown administrations and was instrumental in developing the Yerba Buena Center area. He also served on the HIV Health Services Planning Council, which prioritizes the allocation of federal Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act funds.
Jon was an active member of the Bay Area Nonpartisan Political Alliance, which promoted LGBT rights. In addition, he was a stalwart of the Democratic Party, serving as a delegate for Gary Hart at the 1984 Democratic convention and then going on to be an active supporter of the presidential campaigns for Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama.
Jon enjoyed a close political alliance with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) as he was co-chair of her Northern California gubernatorial election committee, and then went on to support her successful bid for the U.S. Senate.
Civil rights were always Jon's passion as he actively supported the American Civil Liberties Union in its quest for social justice and particularly its LGBT cases.
Jon and his partner, Mark, were together for 14 years, and held their domestic partner ceremony on Valentine's Day 2003.
In addition to Mark, Jon is survived by his brother, William Kouba, his nephew, Eric Kouba, and extended family and friends.
There will be a memorial service for Jon at the Church of the Advent, 261 Fell Street (between Gough and Fell) Saturday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m.