Jeff Lockwood died peacefully early Saturday morning on July 29th with family at his side, at the age of 78.

Jeff is survived by his wife of 44 years, Linda, their three children: Lindsay, Courtney and James, his two sons-in-law: Mike and Cosmo, his daughter-in-law: Brittany, his five grandchildren: Max, Harper, Oliver, Isabel and Reilly, and last, but never least, his dog, Murphy.

A longtime resident of Mill Valley, Jeff was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, the only child of Kenneth and Jane Lockwood. He was deeply proud of his midwestern roots and was quick to make friends, even from a young age. He was a dog lover, raised with German Shepherds and was rarely without a canine companion throughout his life.

Jeff became a committed California resident at the age of 13, when he moved to Los Angeles with his father after his parents’ divorce. He attended University High School in Westwood and developed a profound love of the nearby desert region that persisted throughout his life.

In 1963 Jeff moved north to attend UC Berkeley, where he studied economics and became the proud, if slightly mischievous, president of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Many of his Fiji house brothers became lifelong friends. After completing his undergraduate degree, he continued his education in international business at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, AZ.

He was preparing for a position abroad in Caracas, Venezuela representing Goodyear when the draft for the Vietnam war changed his plans. He resolutely served in the United States Army on the front lines of the conflict as a 1st Lieutenant with the 101st Airborne, leading a platoon of over 40 men, all of whom survived combat. This was one of his proudest accomplishments, impacting him significantly for the rest of his life.

After his military service, Jeff returned to his career in international business, using his keen business sense and singular ability to form strong interpersonal relationships to build his export business, Lockwood International. This led to a lifelong love of travel and meeting people from all over the world. Jeff always remained true to his initial vision for the successful company, a commitment to the potential of what American products could offer to benefit the world.

In 1976, it was on his ferry commute across the Bay that he met Linda Reilly, a Levi’s fashion designer from New York, who would become his wife. Together, they bought an ever expanding home up on Mount Tamalpais in Mill Valley, CA, and raised two daughters, a son, and several dogs. Jeff participated in recreational softball with a team called the Awful Awfuls and also enjoyed coaching Little League and CYO basketball. He loved few things more than celebrating his children’s successes, in sports, arts and especially academics.

Of course, he also rooted hard for his Bay Area Teams. Jeff was a long-time season ticket holder of the A’s and Giants, a fan of the Niners and Warriors, but also a deeply committed student of the workings of the front offices and the economics of the professional and collegiate game, including his beloved Cal Bears (Go Bears!).

In addition, Jeff was always a proud member of his community, serving as the Chairman of Kiddo!, the influential non-profit supporting Mill Valley’s public schools, as well as tutoring students in math in Marin City for more than 20 years. He supported several local organizations focused on improving the community in many ways. He was also a lifelong student, continuing Spanish lessons throughout his life to better communicate with more people, both at home and abroad. This came especially useful as he explored Mexico for over 50 years, and more specifically Baja California, which he “raved” about and introduced to all who were dear to him.

Still, despite all of these experiences, he always seemed most content where he could often be found (and heard) - on the floor of their home of 44 years, laying on the white shag carpet, wrestling with “puppies”, his kids, and later his grandkids, and experiencing the greatest joys of life with his family. 

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