George Agnost

George Agnost
City Attorney of San Francisco
In office
1976 – August 3, 1986
Preceded byThomas Martin O'Connor
Succeeded byPhilip Ward
Personal details
Born(1922-10-21)October 21, 1922
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
DiedAugust 3, 1986(1986-08-03) (aged 63)
Alma materStanford Law School
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
RankCaptain
CommandsFifteenth Air Force

George Agnost (October 21, 1922 – August 3, 1986) was the city attorney of San Francisco from 1977 until his death in 1986.

Early life

Agnost was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Greek parents. He had a brother named Frank, and sisters named Engenia and Joan. In 1929, the family moved to San Francisco and his father owned a restaurant on Mason Street.[1]

Agnost studied at San Francisco's Hawthorne Elementary School, Horace Mann Junior High School, and Commerce High School. He later spent two years at University of California, Berkeley.[2]

Military career

During World War II, Agnost served as a captain with the Fifteenth Air Force. He flew 35 missions in Italy as a nose gunner on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator.[1][2]

Following the war, he studied at Stanford Law School and graduated in 1950.[1]

In 1953, Agnost joined the San Francisco District Attorney's Office as a deputy attorney. He became chief deputy trial attorney in 1976.[1]

In 1977, Agnost campaigned to become City Attorney of San Francisco, promising to modernize the role and "make it the best in the state". Agnost won with 51.1% (82,431 votes), while his opponents Jim Reilly and Gil Graham received 24.7% (39,846) and 24.1% (39,015) respectively.[1] He was elected in 1981.[2]

In November 1985,[2] he was re-elected into the position after running unopposed.[3]

Personal life

Agnost separated from his wife Carol before November 1977. They had a daughter named Victoria.[1] He later married a woman named Rosa.[3]

He was a member of the Commonwealth Club of California and the Olympic Club.[1]

In October 1985, Agnost underwent an open-heart surgery.[2]

On August 3, 1986, Agnost died at the UCSF Medical Center after a cardiac arrest. Upon his death, Deputy City Attorney Phil Ward was named acting city attorney.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Barnes, W. E. (November 9, 1977). "City Attorney Agnost aims to avoid politics". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Hatfield, Larry D. (August 4, 1986). "S.F City Attorney Agnost dies at 63". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Hatfield, Larry D. (August 4, 1986). "S.F City Attorney Agnost dies at 63". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved March 3, 2021.