In Memoriam

Charles R. Cabrera

July 19, 1944 - January 9, 2019

Chuck died January 9, 2019, after a 15-year-battle with Parkinson’s disease.  He was 74.

He was a dedicated golfer and a born competitor, and he also was a gentleman straight out of Central Casting, known for his kindness to everyone he encountered.  He’d let you play through.  Along with his love of golf, Chuck loved learning. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1966 — but he refused to leave campus, holing up in his room with his text books and the phone number to his favorite pizzeria.  He earned an MBA from the school and then continued on to UC Hastings College of Law.

He was accepted to the California Bar in 1972 and then became an investments advisor at Dean Witter & Co. in San Francisco.  He quickly built a successful career, earning the trust of clients and business associates alike due to his intelligence, hard work, decency, and, always, good humor.  He met Linda Hall Perry, a fellow broker at Dean Witter.  They fell in love, married, and Chuck became a beloved stepfather to Jeff, Doug and Zack.  In 1990, Chuck and Linda merged their respective businesses to become one of the first husband-and-wife teams at Morgan Stanley. During their 25-year business partnership and 33-year marriage they built their life around their family, their friends, and their clients.

Chuck was born July 19, 1944, in Caracas, Venezuela, to Charles and Anita Cabrera. During much of Chuck’s and his younger brother Robert’s early years, the family lived in South America, where their father worked for Chevron Oil Co. as a government liaison, and Chuck became fluent in Spanish.  Chuck embraced sports and good-natured competition from an early age.  He was on the Piedmont High golf team, and he later took up tennis and became a first-rate club player.  He enjoyed fly-fishing trips to Alaska, Belize, and other far-flung destinations.  He spent many years playing shuffleboard at the Kingfish Pub in Berkeley, and during his school and bachelor days he rarely missed a Cal football game.

His dedication to staying active and playing golf lasted to the very end, despite the limitations Parkinson’s imposed on him.  In honor of Chuck and his indomitable spirit, the Men’s Club Association at The Citrus Club in La Quinta renamed its members tournament The Cabrera Member/Member Calcutta, and his CITTCO Golf Group renamed its tournament The Cabrera Cup.

He leaves behind his wife and stepsons, their wives, his grandchildren, his brother, and his many friends.  We will all miss Chuck.