William Michael Samsel. Courtesy of his family

William Michael Samsel was born 16 minutes after his twin sister Judith on Nov. 29, 1941, in Sacramento. They spent their early years in Watsonville, California. He died Jan. 28, 2026, in Oakland. Bill was 84 years old. 

Bill and Judy were the only children of Ralph and Margaret Samsel. Bill was proud of his mother Margeret Fitzgerald Samsel’s Irish heritage. The family business was in lettuce growing, in both Watsonville and the Imperial Valley. Bill later applied his own green thumb to his parents’ old zinfandel vineyard in Sonoma that became an award-winning wine produced by Rosenblum Cellars.

Bill was an athlete and a sports fan. He excelled as both a quarterback and a left-handed pitcher at Watsonville High. He pitched one year while attending Santa Clara University before transferring to UC Berkeley. He graduated in 1963 and later earned his JD from Boalt School of Law in 1966. Early in his legal career, Bill supported the anti-war movement, the Native American Occupation of Alcatraz, and the Black Power Movement. He helped many young men apply to be Conscientious Objectors of the Vietnam War. 

In the early ’70s Bill and the late attorney, Don Jelinek, became law partners, forming the Berkeley law firm of Jelinek and Samsel. For 27 years, they served the Bay Area as community lawyers. Bill practiced both civil and criminal law, frequently providing pro-bono services for clients. After he left the firm, he continued to practice law as an appointed advocate and mediator, focusing on juvenile and family law. Bill took a brief break from the law and followed in his step-daughter Luba’s footsteps into teaching. He started as a substitute teacher, and then managed to survive one year teaching third grade in Contra Costa Unified School District — an experience that led him back to the law!

Bill was a passionate and active community member, deeply committed to working with young people particularly.  In 1971, he helped to establish Berkeley Youth Alternatives.  BYA provides support to Berkeley’s at-risk youth and their families with after school and other programs. He went on to serve for many years as a board member. The important work of BYA continues today.

Bill also served as a long-term Board Member for the Strawberry Creek Senior Living facility. He was known as a fiercely outspoken member of the Berkeley Police Review Commission.

After Bill passed the California Bar, he chose to serve in the Peace Corps. Bill was assigned to Nagpur in Maharashtra state, the agricultural center of India, where he worked from 1966-68 supporting families in the agricultural seed business, an experience that stayed with him for the rest of his life. He remained connected to India and traveled back there several times to visit.

When Bill returned from the Peace Corps, he settled in Berkeley. Bill initially lived on Virginia Street where friends and strangers were welcome to crash. Many became roommates and friends. He later settled into his long-time residence on Webster Street in the Elmwood area of Berkeley. 

Bill loved travel, dinner parties, reading, playing tennis, hiking, political arguments, deep conversations, and laughter with friends and family. Bill always loved dogs and had lots of them over his lifetime, including a series of four Springer Spaniels. He was often seen walking the neighborhood talking to neighbors and strangers alike. Bill never met a stranger, nor a strange dog! He also had a fondness for cats.

In his last years, he returned to the East Bay and moved to The Point at Rockridge, a senior living facility. In his time at The Point, Bill made many friends and was well cared for.  On his last day, he sang a song to his Hospice Nurse and passed quietly in his sleep. 

Bill’s first marriage was to Robin Goldkind Samsel, deceased.

Bill is survived by his second wife, Pari Anvar of Minnesota, and her son, Aram Durphy (wife Sarah Durphy) and their two children, Faye and Laurel.

Bill is also survived by his step-daughter Luba Hancock (husband, Craig Hancock) and their two children Leonardo and Callie, his sister, Judith Wold of Portland, Oregon, his nieces Jennifer White (husband, Michael Jordan), and Christine Cappelletti, and nephew William White, grand-nephew Henry White, grand-niece Catherine Cappelletti; 

Farewell Bill. We miss you so much.

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