James Danaher
1930-Aug. 21, 2007
Los Altos Hills, California

James Danaher, 77, a resident of Los Altos Hills, died August 21.

He was born in West Haven, Conn., to James and Mae Danaher. He received a scholarship to Dartmouth College and graduated in 1951.

He was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency and moved to Washington, D.C, where he met his first wife Patricia McGinty. They worked together in Frankfurt, Germany and had two sons.

He graduated from Stanford University Law School and began practicing law in Palo Alto in 1961, eventually specializing in family law.

Beginning in the 1960s, Danaher volunteered his legal skills to support civil rights. The Asian-American Bar Association of Santa Clara County recognized him with a lifetime service award for his contributions to civil rights.

Following a divorce, he remarried in 1978.

He was president of the Palo Alto Bar Association and the Santa Clara County Bar Association. He also served as a member of the Los Altos Planning Commission and City Council. He was known for his public service in the areas of open space protection and community service.

He enjoyed supporting Stanford sports and vacationing at Fallen Leaf Lake with his friends and family.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; brother, Frances Danaher; sons Steve, Mike, Jim, Peter and Tom; stepson, Blaine Rogers; and four grandchildren.

Tags: public service