Raymond Ickes, an attorney and retired shipping executive from a prominent political family, died Thursday in Berkeley. He was 87.
Mr. Ickes was the son of Harold L. Ickes, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior and head of the Public Works Administration. Mr. Ickes' half-brother, Harold Ickes, was deputy chief of staff under President Clinton and is now an aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton. His mother, Anna Wilmarth, was a three-term assemblywoman from Illinois.
``He was always a very liberal- minded person, but he had no interest in politics himself,'' said his wife, Janet.
Mr. Ickes was born and raised in Evanston, Ill. He spent summers at his mother's home near Gallup, N.M., where he developed an interest in Native American cultures and languages. When he was in high school, he took a year off to travel with the Ojibwa Indians.
For the rest of his life, he visited friends on New Mexico pueblos several times a year. He spoke Navajo and Ojibwa.
Mr. Ickes earned his bachelor's, master's and law degrees from the University of Chicago, and in 1939 he was appointed assistant U.S. attorney in charge of prosecuting federal crimes. Stationed in South America, he was assigned to help with the Peruvian government's internment of Japanese citizens.
``He was adamantly opposed to what was going on with the internments,'' said his daughter, Andrea Dunbar-Ickes of Marysville.
During World War II, Mr. Ickes served in the Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star after he was wounded at Iwo Jima. He also helped gather evidence for the Nuremberg Trials in postwar Germany.
Later in his career, he switched from law to businesses involving shipping and oil. He served as president of Natomas Company, Pacific Far East Line and American President Lines. He retired in 1967.
In the early 1970s, he was on President Richard Nixon's ``enemies list.'' Asked about this by The Chronicle, Mr. Ickes said at the time, ``This is the greatest honor I've received in a long time. A man is as well known by his enemies as by his friends.''
Mr. Ickes was a gifted athlete -- he played on the polo, swimming and wrestling teams at the University of Chicago, and he had a lifelong passion for target practice.
``He had a whole room full of medals and awards from rifle shooting,'' said Janet Ickes. ``His father gave him a lifetime membership to the NRA, but he canceled it during the Reagan administration.''
In addition to his wife, half-brother and daughter, Mr. Ickes is survived by his son Kyle Ickes of Berkeley; stepson Ross Lee of Sacramento; grandchildren Martin Ball of Santa Barbara, Jessica Ball of Marysville, and Natasha and Jesse Ickes of Berkeley; and great-grandchildren Jeremy and Cheyenne.
Mr. Ickes was the son of Harold L. Ickes, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior and head of the Public Works Administration. Mr. Ickes' half-brother, Harold Ickes, was deputy chief of staff under President Clinton and is now an aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton. His mother, Anna Wilmarth, was a three-term assemblywoman from Illinois.
``He was always a very liberal- minded person, but he had no interest in politics himself,'' said his wife, Janet.
Mr. Ickes was born and raised in Evanston, Ill. He spent summers at his mother's home near Gallup, N.M., where he developed an interest in Native American cultures and languages. When he was in high school, he took a year off to travel with the Ojibwa Indians.
For the rest of his life, he visited friends on New Mexico pueblos several times a year. He spoke Navajo and Ojibwa.
Mr. Ickes earned his bachelor's, master's and law degrees from the University of Chicago, and in 1939 he was appointed assistant U.S. attorney in charge of prosecuting federal crimes. Stationed in South America, he was assigned to help with the Peruvian government's internment of Japanese citizens.
``He was adamantly opposed to what was going on with the internments,'' said his daughter, Andrea Dunbar-Ickes of Marysville.
During World War II, Mr. Ickes served in the Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star after he was wounded at Iwo Jima. He also helped gather evidence for the Nuremberg Trials in postwar Germany.
Later in his career, he switched from law to businesses involving shipping and oil. He served as president of Natomas Company, Pacific Far East Line and American President Lines. He retired in 1967.
In the early 1970s, he was on President Richard Nixon's ``enemies list.'' Asked about this by The Chronicle, Mr. Ickes said at the time, ``This is the greatest honor I've received in a long time. A man is as well known by his enemies as by his friends.''
Mr. Ickes was a gifted athlete -- he played on the polo, swimming and wrestling teams at the University of Chicago, and he had a lifelong passion for target practice.
``He had a whole room full of medals and awards from rifle shooting,'' said Janet Ickes. ``His father gave him a lifetime membership to the NRA, but he canceled it during the Reagan administration.''
In addition to his wife, half-brother and daughter, Mr. Ickes is survived by his son Kyle Ickes of Berkeley; stepson Ross Lee of Sacramento; grandchildren Martin Ball of Santa Barbara, Jessica Ball of Marysville, and Natasha and Jesse Ickes of Berkeley; and great-grandchildren Jeremy and Cheyenne.
Raymond Ickes, an attorney and retired shipping executive from a prominent political family, died Thursday in Berkeley. He was 87.
Mr. Ickes was the son of Harold L. Ickes, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior and head of the Public Works Administration. Mr. Ickes' half-brother, Harold Ickes, was deputy chief of staff under President Clinton and is now an aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton. His mother, Anna Wilmarth, was a three-term assemblywoman from Illinois.
``He was always a very liberal- minded person, but he had no interest in politics himself,'' said his wife, Janet.
Mr. Ickes was born and raised in Evanston, Ill. He spent summers at his mother's home near Gallup, N.M., where he developed an interest in Native American cultures and languages. When he was in high school, he took a year off to travel with the Ojibwa Indians.
For the rest of his life, he visited friends on New Mexico pueblos several times a year. He spoke Navajo and Ojibwa.
Mr. Ickes earned his bachelor's, master's and law degrees from the University of Chicago, and in 1939 he was appointed assistant U.S. attorney in charge of prosecuting federal crimes. Stationed in South America, he was assigned to help with the Peruvian government's internment of Japanese citizens.
``He was adamantly opposed to what was going on with the internments,'' said his daughter, Andrea Dunbar-Ickes of Marysville.
During World War II, Mr. Ickes served in the Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star after he was wounded at Iwo Jima. He also helped gather evidence for the Nuremberg Trials in postwar Germany.
Later in his career, he switched from law to businesses involving shipping and oil. He served as president of Natomas Company, Pacific Far East Line and American President Lines. He retired in 1967.
In the early 1970s, he was on President Richard Nixon's ``enemies list.'' Asked about this by The Chronicle, Mr. Ickes said at the time, ``This is the greatest honor I've received in a long time. A man is as well known by his enemies as by his friends.''
Mr. Ickes was a gifted athlete -- he played on the polo, swimming and wrestling teams at the University of Chicago, and he had a lifelong passion for target practice.
``He had a whole room full of medals and awards from rifle shooting,'' said Janet Ickes. ``His father gave him a lifetime membership to the NRA, but he canceled it during the Reagan administration.''
In addition to his wife, half-brother and daughter, Mr. Ickes is survived by his son Kyle Ickes of Berkeley; stepson Ross Lee of Sacramento; grandchildren Martin Ball of Santa Barbara, Jessica Ball of Marysville, and Natasha and Jesse Ickes of Berkeley; and great-grandchildren Jeremy and Cheyenne.
Mr. Ickes was the son of Harold L. Ickes, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior and head of the Public Works Administration. Mr. Ickes' half-brother, Harold Ickes, was deputy chief of staff under President Clinton and is now an aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton. His mother, Anna Wilmarth, was a three-term assemblywoman from Illinois.
``He was always a very liberal- minded person, but he had no interest in politics himself,'' said his wife, Janet.
Mr. Ickes was born and raised in Evanston, Ill. He spent summers at his mother's home near Gallup, N.M., where he developed an interest in Native American cultures and languages. When he was in high school, he took a year off to travel with the Ojibwa Indians.
For the rest of his life, he visited friends on New Mexico pueblos several times a year. He spoke Navajo and Ojibwa.
Mr. Ickes earned his bachelor's, master's and law degrees from the University of Chicago, and in 1939 he was appointed assistant U.S. attorney in charge of prosecuting federal crimes. Stationed in South America, he was assigned to help with the Peruvian government's internment of Japanese citizens.
``He was adamantly opposed to what was going on with the internments,'' said his daughter, Andrea Dunbar-Ickes of Marysville.
During World War II, Mr. Ickes served in the Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star after he was wounded at Iwo Jima. He also helped gather evidence for the Nuremberg Trials in postwar Germany.
Later in his career, he switched from law to businesses involving shipping and oil. He served as president of Natomas Company, Pacific Far East Line and American President Lines. He retired in 1967.
In the early 1970s, he was on President Richard Nixon's ``enemies list.'' Asked about this by The Chronicle, Mr. Ickes said at the time, ``This is the greatest honor I've received in a long time. A man is as well known by his enemies as by his friends.''
Mr. Ickes was a gifted athlete -- he played on the polo, swimming and wrestling teams at the University of Chicago, and he had a lifelong passion for target practice.
``He had a whole room full of medals and awards from rifle shooting,'' said Janet Ickes. ``His father gave him a lifetime membership to the NRA, but he canceled it during the Reagan administration.''
In addition to his wife, half-brother and daughter, Mr. Ickes is survived by his son Kyle Ickes of Berkeley; stepson Ross Lee of Sacramento; grandchildren Martin Ball of Santa Barbara, Jessica Ball of Marysville, and Natasha and Jesse Ickes of Berkeley; and great-grandchildren Jeremy and Cheyenne.
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