George Agnost

George Agnost
City Attorney of San Francisco
In office
1976 – August 3, 1986
Preceded byThomas Martin O'Connor
Succeeded byPhilip Ward
Personal details
Born(1922-10-21)October 21, 1922
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
DiedAugust 3, 1986(1986-08-03) (aged 63)
Alma materStanford Law School
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
RankCaptain
CommandsFifteenth Air Force

George Agnost (October 21, 1922 – August 3, 1986) was the city attorney of San Francisco from 1977 until his death in 1986.

Early life

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Agnost was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Greek parents. He had a brother named Frank, and sisters named Engenia and Joan. In 1929, the family moved to San Francisco and his father owned a restaurant on Mason Street.[1]

Agnost studied at San Francisco's Hawthorne Elementary School, Horace Mann Junior High School, and Commerce High School. He later spent two years at University of California, Berkeley.[2]

Military career

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During World War II, Agnost served as a captain with the Fifteenth Air Force. He flew 35 missions in Italy as a nose gunner on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator.[1][2]

Following the war, he studied at Stanford Law School and graduated in 1950.[1]

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In 1953, Agnost joined the San Francisco District Attorney's Office as a deputy attorney. He became chief deputy trial attorney in 1976.[1]

In 1977, Agnost campaigned to become City Attorney of San Francisco, promising to modernize the role and "make it the best in the state". Agnost won with 51.1% (82,431 votes), while his opponents Jim Reilly and Gil Graham received 24.7% (39,846) and 24.1% (39,015) respectively.[1] He was elected in 1981.[2]

In November 1985,[2] he was re-elected into the position after running unopposed.[3]

Personal life

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Agnost separated from his wife Carol before November 1977. They had a daughter named Victoria.[1] He later married a woman named Rosa.[3]

He was a member of the Commonwealth Club of California and the Olympic Club.[1]

In October 1985, Agnost underwent an open-heart surgery.[2]

On August 3, 1986, Agnost died at the UCSF Medical Center after a cardiac arrest. Upon his death, Deputy City Attorney Phil Ward was named acting city attorney.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Barnes, W. E. (November 9, 1977). "City Attorney Agnost aims to avoid politics". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Hatfield, Larry D. (August 4, 1986). "S.F City Attorney Agnost dies at 63". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Hatfield, Larry D. (August 4, 1986). "S.F City Attorney Agnost dies at 63". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
Legal offices
Preceded by City Attorney of San Francisco
1977
Succeeded by
Philip Ward