Bill O'Leary Logan

Bill O’Leary Logan passed away in his sleep and went to be with his wife, Clara, on August 2nd, 2019. He was surrounded by his loving family during his final moments in Sonora, California. He was born on December 23, 1934 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was the oldest of three kids and his mother’s Christmas gift. His father was Hubert Logan of Illinois and his mother was Tillie Valencia of New Mexico. Bill lived a long and wonderful life. He had a quick wit and steady mind. Wherever there was laughter in the room, he was at the center of it. He loved making people feeling better about themselves and had joy in helping those in need. Bill had many jobs over his lifetime, starting at nine years old. He sold newspapers at the top of his voice for ten cents a copy on the streets of Los Angeles - He negotiated a 10% commission and by mid-morning he’d be walking away with $2 of quarters jingling in his pocket, with time for other adventures. Bill was a depression, WWII kid and he learned to work hard and long hours, yet always found ways to make the going fun. He also had a strong sense of country and patriotism and, since he always looked much older than his actual age, he decided to join the army at 14 years old. He was eventually found out and sent back to middle-school. He soon met the love of his life, Clara, whom he had wooed with a stolen kiss and promise to marry, having only known her for two weeks. His street-wise persistence and maturing chivalry eventually won her over. They married 7 years later in June 1957 and had three children, Billy, Johnny and Belinda. He was married to Clara for 63 years. Bill had a strong sense
of right and wrong. This lead him to serving his community by becoming a Los Angeles County Sheriff officer, working on the very streets he grew up. He retired after 25 years, in 1991, and came to live with Clara in Sonora, California. He called this historical “Gold Rush” region, on the western parts of the Sierras, “God’s country.” In Sonora, he pursued his love of country western dancing. He and Clara belonged to many country western dance clubs, including the “SixShooters,” which he named and created with his friends. For years, there was a continuous stream of dancing classes he had at his barn. He had converted it into a little, down-home dance hall. He also kept busy with the last of his many car restoration projects, working on his ‘34 ford pickup. It was his “birth year” truck and a reminder of the trucks that hauled the newspapers he sold at nine years old. Bill O’Leary Logan, loving husband, father and grandfather, is survived by his two sons, O’Leary and John, his daughter, Melinda, and his grandson Mitchell. Services to celebrate Bill’s life will be held in Rancho Palos Verdes, California at Green Hills Mortuary, on September 7, 2019, at 11:30 a.m. Flowers and memorials can be sent to Green Hills Mortuary. Please sign the guestbook at dailybreeze.com/