George M. Means Obituary
George Martin Means, of Laguna Niguel, California, went to be with the Lord on September 24, 2018, at the age of 55. Born in Inglewood, California on January 23, 1963, George lived in Southern California for most of his life (aside from short stints in Boston, Massachusetts and Houston, Texas) with his wife of 34 years, Terisa Claypool Means.
George grew up in Los Angeles and North San Diego County, married Terisa in 1984, graduated from Gordon College in 1985, and received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1988. He spent his entire legal career at Sidley Austin LLP in Los Angeles, where he had been a partner since 1996.
George was a man of many talents and little ego. He was an avid plein-air painter and champion doodler. He loved the ocean and the desert, and spent countless hours riding motorcycles among the ocotillo trees and sandy washes with his father-in-law Kenneth Claypool. He passed his love of reading onto his daughters, and could converse at length on nearly any topic, from ancient Mesopotamian history and medieval folklore to current events and the ups and downs of the latest NBA season (Go Warriors!) Most of all, George was kind, generous, and good, a man of utmost integrity and steadfast faith.
Though his battle with colon cancer lasted nearly fifteen years, he never complained; though he endured unimaginable pain, his faith in Jesus Christ never wavered. He loved his family fiercely and treated all those he encountered with kindness and respect. He leaves behind his wife, Terisa; his children Lindsay Means, Abby Krogh and her husband Kyle, and Sophie Means; siblings John Means, Beth Spaman, Mike Means, and their families; and countless other family and friends whose lives he touched.
He was preceded in death by his parents George Means and Nadine Means. A funeral and reception will be held on Saturday the 29th at 11:00 a.m. at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles (https://urm.org) or the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (https://www.ccalliance.org).
