"Bill Kolender, a career lawman who served both as Chief of the San Diego Police Department and head of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, died Tuesday at age 80 following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Kolender retired in 2009, 15 years after first being elected sheriff and 21 years after resigning as chief of the SDPD, an agency he joined in July 1956. A fixture in local policing and politics, Kolender 'seemed, in many respects, larger than life,' current Sheriff Bill Gore said." Source: Times of San Diego.
From a previous interview with Tom Blair in San Diego Magazine, the author wrote: "BILL KOLENDER: A SAN DIEGO SEMI-NATIVE (he came here from Chicago as a child), a Hoover High alum, a San Diego State University graduate, Bill Kolender joined the San Diego Police Department on September 10, 1956. In 1975, at 40, he was appointed police chief. After 13 years as chief, he spent three years in the private sector before being appointed head of the California Youth Authority by then-Governor Pete Wilson. In 1994, he won the county sheriff ’s badge in the primary election."
Sheriff Kolender was known for his wonderful sense of humor and told Tom Blair in the interview this: "On July 23, 1956, I signed on as a cop. I was still a kid, 21, and I was married and had kids already. I just joined the police department to work my way through college. Nobody from my family had ever graduated from college. I was raised an orthodox Jew, and, you know, my father went ballistic when I joined the cops. He says, 'Bilvel, it’s a gentile’s job. Go to school. Be somebody. I’m embarrassed. I can’t go outside.' Then later, of course, the family joke was when I was named chief of police, it was all okay."
Chief-Sheriff William B. Kolender was buried at El Cajon Cemetery on October 9, 2015, in a private ceremony for family and old friends. The area where he was placed is near a slight hillside where the graves are marked with plaques. The hearse arrived at about 9 AM escorted by motorcycle and patrol units. The black hearse parked near the grave site. The rear door was opened and the flag draped casket became visible. Two contingents of color guard personnel representing the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department stood guard. His pallbearers were law enforcement officials and personal friends of the former Sheriff: Chief Zimmerman, Sheriff Gore, former Chief Jerry Sanders, retired Undersheriff Jack Drown, retired Sheriff's Sergeant Rick Simica and retired Lt.Tom Giaquinto.
Rabbi Kornberg eulogized Sheriff Kolender then asked Pastor John Sorenson for his remembrances about the Sheriff. Pastor Sorenson was a close friend of the Sheriff for many years. He reminisced about his experiences with the Kolender family. As is the Jewish custom, Lois and the other family members dropped soil onto his coffin to show kevod ha-met, respect for the dead.The Sheriff was then interred.
A Service of Remembrance was held
Friday, November 6, 2015
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
45249 Miramar Way, San Diego
Bob Hope Theater
2:00 p.m.
Sheriff Kolender had a long and distinguished career and will be remembered for his service to San Diego.
From a previous interview with Tom Blair in San Diego Magazine, the author wrote: "BILL KOLENDER: A SAN DIEGO SEMI-NATIVE (he came here from Chicago as a child), a Hoover High alum, a San Diego State University graduate, Bill Kolender joined the San Diego Police Department on September 10, 1956. In 1975, at 40, he was appointed police chief. After 13 years as chief, he spent three years in the private sector before being appointed head of the California Youth Authority by then-Governor Pete Wilson. In 1994, he won the county sheriff ’s badge in the primary election."
Sheriff Kolender was known for his wonderful sense of humor and told Tom Blair in the interview this: "On July 23, 1956, I signed on as a cop. I was still a kid, 21, and I was married and had kids already. I just joined the police department to work my way through college. Nobody from my family had ever graduated from college. I was raised an orthodox Jew, and, you know, my father went ballistic when I joined the cops. He says, 'Bilvel, it’s a gentile’s job. Go to school. Be somebody. I’m embarrassed. I can’t go outside.' Then later, of course, the family joke was when I was named chief of police, it was all okay."
Chief-Sheriff William B. Kolender was buried at El Cajon Cemetery on October 9, 2015, in a private ceremony for family and old friends. The area where he was placed is near a slight hillside where the graves are marked with plaques. The hearse arrived at about 9 AM escorted by motorcycle and patrol units. The black hearse parked near the grave site. The rear door was opened and the flag draped casket became visible. Two contingents of color guard personnel representing the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department stood guard. His pallbearers were law enforcement officials and personal friends of the former Sheriff: Chief Zimmerman, Sheriff Gore, former Chief Jerry Sanders, retired Undersheriff Jack Drown, retired Sheriff's Sergeant Rick Simica and retired Lt.Tom Giaquinto.
Rabbi Kornberg eulogized Sheriff Kolender then asked Pastor John Sorenson for his remembrances about the Sheriff. Pastor Sorenson was a close friend of the Sheriff for many years. He reminisced about his experiences with the Kolender family. As is the Jewish custom, Lois and the other family members dropped soil onto his coffin to show kevod ha-met, respect for the dead.The Sheriff was then interred.
A Service of Remembrance was held
Friday, November 6, 2015
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
45249 Miramar Way, San Diego
Bob Hope Theater
2:00 p.m.
Sheriff Kolender had a long and distinguished career and will be remembered for his service to San Diego.
"Bill Kolender, a career lawman who served both as Chief of the San Diego Police Department and head of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, died Tuesday at age 80 following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Kolender retired in 2009, 15 years after first being elected sheriff and 21 years after resigning as chief of the SDPD, an agency he joined in July 1956. A fixture in local policing and politics, Kolender 'seemed, in many respects, larger than life,' current Sheriff Bill Gore said." Source: Times of San Diego.
From a previous interview with Tom Blair in San Diego Magazine, the author wrote: "BILL KOLENDER: A SAN DIEGO SEMI-NATIVE (he came here from Chicago as a child), a Hoover High alum, a San Diego State University graduate, Bill Kolender joined the San Diego Police Department on September 10, 1956. In 1975, at 40, he was appointed police chief. After 13 years as chief, he spent three years in the private sector before being appointed head of the California Youth Authority by then-Governor Pete Wilson. In 1994, he won the county sheriff ’s badge in the primary election."
Sheriff Kolender was known for his wonderful sense of humor and told Tom Blair in the interview this: "On July 23, 1956, I signed on as a cop. I was still a kid, 21, and I was married and had kids already. I just joined the police department to work my way through college. Nobody from my family had ever graduated from college. I was raised an orthodox Jew, and, you know, my father went ballistic when I joined the cops. He says, 'Bilvel, it’s a gentile’s job. Go to school. Be somebody. I’m embarrassed. I can’t go outside.' Then later, of course, the family joke was when I was named chief of police, it was all okay."
Chief-Sheriff William B. Kolender was buried at El Cajon Cemetery on October 9, 2015, in a private ceremony for family and old friends. The area where he was placed is near a slight hillside where the graves are marked with plaques. The hearse arrived at about 9 AM escorted by motorcycle and patrol units. The black hearse parked near the grave site. The rear door was opened and the flag draped casket became visible. Two contingents of color guard personnel representing the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department stood guard. His pallbearers were law enforcement officials and personal friends of the former Sheriff: Chief Zimmerman, Sheriff Gore, former Chief Jerry Sanders, retired Undersheriff Jack Drown, retired Sheriff's Sergeant Rick Simica and retired Lt.Tom Giaquinto.
Rabbi Kornberg eulogized Sheriff Kolender then asked Pastor John Sorenson for his remembrances about the Sheriff. Pastor Sorenson was a close friend of the Sheriff for many years. He reminisced about his experiences with the Kolender family. As is the Jewish custom, Lois and the other family members dropped soil onto his coffin to show kevod ha-met, respect for the dead.The Sheriff was then interred.
A Service of Remembrance was held
Friday, November 6, 2015
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
45249 Miramar Way, San Diego
Bob Hope Theater
2:00 p.m.
Sheriff Kolender had a long and distinguished career and will be remembered for his service to San Diego.
From a previous interview with Tom Blair in San Diego Magazine, the author wrote: "BILL KOLENDER: A SAN DIEGO SEMI-NATIVE (he came here from Chicago as a child), a Hoover High alum, a San Diego State University graduate, Bill Kolender joined the San Diego Police Department on September 10, 1956. In 1975, at 40, he was appointed police chief. After 13 years as chief, he spent three years in the private sector before being appointed head of the California Youth Authority by then-Governor Pete Wilson. In 1994, he won the county sheriff ’s badge in the primary election."
Sheriff Kolender was known for his wonderful sense of humor and told Tom Blair in the interview this: "On July 23, 1956, I signed on as a cop. I was still a kid, 21, and I was married and had kids already. I just joined the police department to work my way through college. Nobody from my family had ever graduated from college. I was raised an orthodox Jew, and, you know, my father went ballistic when I joined the cops. He says, 'Bilvel, it’s a gentile’s job. Go to school. Be somebody. I’m embarrassed. I can’t go outside.' Then later, of course, the family joke was when I was named chief of police, it was all okay."
Chief-Sheriff William B. Kolender was buried at El Cajon Cemetery on October 9, 2015, in a private ceremony for family and old friends. The area where he was placed is near a slight hillside where the graves are marked with plaques. The hearse arrived at about 9 AM escorted by motorcycle and patrol units. The black hearse parked near the grave site. The rear door was opened and the flag draped casket became visible. Two contingents of color guard personnel representing the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department stood guard. His pallbearers were law enforcement officials and personal friends of the former Sheriff: Chief Zimmerman, Sheriff Gore, former Chief Jerry Sanders, retired Undersheriff Jack Drown, retired Sheriff's Sergeant Rick Simica and retired Lt.Tom Giaquinto.
Rabbi Kornberg eulogized Sheriff Kolender then asked Pastor John Sorenson for his remembrances about the Sheriff. Pastor Sorenson was a close friend of the Sheriff for many years. He reminisced about his experiences with the Kolender family. As is the Jewish custom, Lois and the other family members dropped soil onto his coffin to show kevod ha-met, respect for the dead.The Sheriff was then interred.
A Service of Remembrance was held
Friday, November 6, 2015
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
45249 Miramar Way, San Diego
Bob Hope Theater
2:00 p.m.
Sheriff Kolender had a long and distinguished career and will be remembered for his service to San Diego.
