Albert Schreck Albert Schreck passed away peacefully February 6 at the age of 89 surrounded by his loving family. Al was a longtime Portola Valley resident and prominent business and civic leader in San Francisco. Al was born in Los Angeles, California on June 10, 1930 as an only child, the son of Alfonso Schreck and Mary O'Grady, descendants of Spanish refugees to Mexico in 1828, and Irish immigrants to Texas, respectively. Alfonso moved from Los Angeles to Larchmont, Westchester County, New York, to advance as an executive within Texaco, with young Al attending nearby Mamaroneck High School. He lettered in football, basketball and baseball, attained academic excellence with an early admittance to Williams College. While at Williams, Al met the beautiful Joel Wells, captain of her high school show jumping team, and shortly after graduation married in the chapel at the Wells family working museum, Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, in June 1952.

Al joined the Air Force, stationed initially at Fort Benning, Georgia and later served as Air Police in the occupation of Germany at Ramstein Air Force Base. On return from duty in Europe, Al and Jo were both accepted at Stanford University, Al in the School of Law and Jo as an undergraduate. Her pregnancy with Dan quickly cut short her plans to pursue a degree, and the growing family moved from Ladera in 1957 to the family home, a bucolic, horsey and rural setting in Portola Valley, with barns, pastures, jumps and a riding ring.

Over the next 60 years they raised their three sons, Dan, Charlie and Tommy, and pursued the various activities that defined their love and devotion to each other, their family, community, horses and Portola Valley in particular. Al was a co-founder of the town, helping to incorporate Portola Valley in 1964. At the same time, Albert was a founding partner of Kingsley, Schreck, Wells & Reichling, including his brother-in-law Albert Wells. The Partnership prospered for five decades, owning major real estate assets throughout California. His eponymous property at 244 California St, SF, was his favorite, Albert taking a personal interest in all aspects of the business, and in every tenant, knowing everyone by first name.

Al was a trustee of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, UCSF's "That Man May See", the Abelard Foundation and served as a President of the Portola Valley School District in the 1960's. Al was a coach and referee for the Alpine Little League and helped finance and build the first backstop at Ford Field. Al was one of the longest tenured Master of Foxhounds in America, serving for over 40 years as Master Emeritus of the Los Altos Hounds and he was also, contemporaneously, Honorary Master of the Limerick Hounds in Ireland.

Perhaps his greatest joy in life was riding next to his beloved wife Jo on their Irish bred, dapple grey mares, "Sally" and "Sister", on their property or the trail system they helped build in Portola Valley. They loved including horses with their travels worldwide, be it on a safari in Botswana, or in Ireland across the green turf of the Limerick, jumping ditches, banks with the Scarteen or the stone walls of Galway. Closer to home, they loved to trailer their horses to a particularly beautiful ranch in Hollister, near Tres Pinos, beneath the Gabilan mountain range.
Al and Jo were very generous and proud sponsors of many civic and social charities, in particular providing the inaugural gift for the chair of African American Studies at Williams College in 1969. As stewards of one of the earliest family foundations, they were responsible for innumerable gifts to young charities in the pursuit of social justice.

Al had prominent roles in the political campaigns for Pete McCloskey in the 1960's and 1970's, participating in the civil rights movement, and the anti-war movements, culminating in the impeachment of Richard Nixon and fighting for strong environmental protections, and later for Kamala Harris, admiring her intellect and voice, platform for equality and social justice.

Al is best remembered for his larger than life personality, humor, generosity and immaculate dress, whether donning his three piece suits in the financial district of his "town" or in his Irish or English handmade Limerick blue velvet cap, pink coat, britches and brown top boots, riding to hounds. You could not walk a block or two in San Francisco, or ride a horse next to Albert in Portola Valley, or travel down River Road in the Bohemian Grove, without friends and admirers stopping to say hello, to share a story, laugh or find some immeasurable joy in the serendipity of that moment. A brief respite with Albert made your day a little brighter, your step a little lighter, just with the knowledge that he was your friend, and had your back. Ultimately, he was the most generous person, of mind, body and spirit, of anyone we had ever met. You felt special, loved, in his presence.

Albert was predeceased by his parents Alfonso Schreck and Mary O'Grady, his wife and mother of their children, Joel Wells Schreck, and his granddaughter, Lauren Schreck. He is survived by his sons Daniel Schreck (Teresa); Charles (Christine); Thomas (Celeste), and his grandchildren Mason (Sandra), Thomas Gore-Schreck, Charles Schreck, Audrey Schreck, Gabriella Salomon, Cameron Salomon, Robert Salomon, and one great granddaughter Ximena Schreck. Services will be held in Portola Valley in August, to be followed by a reception, details to follow. In lieu of flowers please send gifts to "That Man May See", UCSF thatmanmaysee.org.