William I. Cowin

William I. Cowin, Esteemed Judge and Beloved Family Man William I. Cowin, 84, of Newton and Hull, passed away peacefully at home from a progressive motor neuron disease. He was afflicted with this condition for less than nine months. Bill was a distinguished judge, lawyer, politician and adored patriarch of his family. Bill served as a justice of the Massachusetts Appeals court for several years until his mandatory retirement at age 70. After that, he continued his career in public service by working as an Assistant Attorney General under Attorney General Martha Coakley and then Attorney General Maura Healey. He also served as an arbitrator and mediator for JAMS. He continued to work until shortly before his passing, when his disease made it impossible for him to continue. His lengthy career in public service began when he was appointed an Assistant Attorney General by then Attorney General Edward W. Brooke. In that capacity, he argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court at the age of 27. When General Brooke was elected to the U.S. Senate, he took Bill to Washington, D.C. as his legislative aide. Bill served as Senator Brooke's representative on the Kerner Commission, the group tasked by President Johnson with investigating the causes of the urban riots in 1967 following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., and providing recommendations for the future. Bill also accompanied the Senator on a several-week, multi-country tour of Southeast Asia to better understand the Vietnam War. Bill considered Sen. Brooke the second-most formative man in his life, the first being his father. Indeed, Senator Brooke was such an important figure in his life that he was godfather to the first child of Bill and his wife, Judy. Bill returned to Boston to work for then-Mayor Kevin White. When asked to explain what Bill did in that role, Barney Frank, later a Congressman who worked alongside Bill, said that he, Barney, "did everything that could be done in twenty-four hours and Cowin did everything else." He next became the head of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, appointed by Governor Francis Sargent. Later, Governor Sargent appointed Bill Secretary of Consumer Affairs and then Secretary of Administration and Finance. Bill loved his roles in government service; yet, as time-consuming as these positions might have been, he rarely missed family dinner each night, arriving home in time for a 6:30 sit-down with his wife and three children. Bill tried his hand at elective politics, running first for Attorney General (and losing in the primary) and then running for Lt. Governor on the Hatch-Cowin ticket (losing in the general election). Bill came to realize that "There was no pubic demand for [him] in elective office," employing the wicked, self-deprecating humor that he applied to every situation and for which he was so well-known. Bill became a partner in the law firm Friedman and Atherton, working alongside his good friends, Joel and Lee Kozol. Bill was an outstanding trial lawyer, concentrating in complex civil litigation. Yet, as fine and respected a trial lawyer as he was, all his adversaries considered him a complete gentleman, polite, gracious and easy to work with or against. Bill left Friedman and Atherton when Gov. Paul Cellucci appointed him to the Appeals Court. Very few people have had the breadth of experience in law and government at all levels that Bill had. His wisdom, maturity and common sense guided many others who often turned to him for advice of all types. Bill freely gave of his time and helped anyone who sought his assistance. Bill was born to Ruth Ada Sheinwald (a social worker) and Irvin Gerofski (a businessman and consultant for McKinsey and Company at one point). His father passed away when Bill was only six months old from pneumonia (before the advent of penicillin). His mother and her extended family raised Bill as an only child. He was generous to a fault, the most unselfish person imaginable, never wanting anything for himself if it meant depriving another. Bill's mother married Phillip Cowin when Bill was ten. Phil, an attorney himself, adopted Bill and Phil was Bill's role model and mentor for the rest of his life. Bill graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, as had Phil before him. Bill often believed he should have been born in the eighteenth century, given his love of opera and art of that period. (He served on the board of the Opera Company of Boston.) But he also adored baseball, football and all manner of sports. He was an outstanding tennis player, ranked in New England as a teen-ager (when he still could devote much time to playing that game). For all the prestige and status that Bill enjoyed, he always believed in working to make life better for others. He engaged in many charitable endeavors, particularly when he was younger (Roxbury Multi-Service Center, Anti-Defamation League, etc.). He sought to make the world a place with more equal opportunity. In 1965, Bill married Judith Arnold after an office romance that he always joked would be forbidden today. They met in Attorney General Brooke's office (before Judy was an attorney herself) and half the office, including the Attorney General himself, took credit for their marriage. Judy went to law school after the couple had their first child, April Ruth. Judy became an Assistant District Attorney under then- District Attorney William D. Delahunt and later a judge of the Superior Court and a justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Daughter April was followed by Jackie Arnold (now a judge of the Superior Court herself) and William Phillip. The three children all live locally (two within a mile) and were always a constant source of joy and pride to their parents. The couple eventually had eight grandchildren as well. Bill was their adored father and grandfather, never too busy to attend to their needs. Bill and Judy were fortunate to have enjoyed more than fifty-six years of married life. In addition to raising their family, they spent much time travelling, playing bridge, walking together and, of course, discussing legal cases, though they often had divergent opinions on many issues. Their children became accustomed to lively legal arguments at all hours. Many, many people have benefited from having known Bill. The world would be better off if it had more people like this man. Services will be private. If you wish to visit the family, please do so at 99 Highland Street, West Newton (please use entrance to house that is on Temple Street) on Monday, August 15 or Tuesday, August 16 from 5 to 8 p.m.