Frederick Paul Dacey

Retired Solano County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dacey passed away on February 19th after a short illness. He was 93 years old. Paul Dacey was born in 1931 in Phoenix, Arizona to Frederick P. Dacey Sr. and Berenice Bogie Dacey. Paul spent his childhood in Massachusetts and Memphis, TN before the family moved to Fresno, California. In 1945, the family moved to Vallejo. There, Paul attended St. Vincent Ferrer High School in Vallejo where he starred on the football, basketball and baseball teams. He was Senior Class President and graduated in 1949. In 1995, he was in the first group of inductees to the St Patrick St Vincent Hall of Fame. Taking a year off to work at Sperry Mills, he then attended Vallejo Junior College where he was on the student council, played football and was a co-captain of the basketball team. In 1952, Paul transferred to UC Berkeley. He earned his BA in Economics in 1954 and then his JD from Boalt Hall School of Law in 1957. Paul married Moyra “Mardi” Tibbits in 1958. He entered the US Navy shortly afterwards and the couple lived on the east coast during the first two years of their marriage. Paul was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant serving as an attorney in the Office of the Judge Advocate General in Washington D.C., assigned to the Pentagon. In 1960, he received orders to Oakland Naval Supply Center and the family returned to Vallejo. After completing his military service, Paul worked for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office as an deputy district attorney until 1962. He then moved into private practice for several years, first with William L. Beeman and finally, the law firm of Leggett, Gianola and Dacey. In 1979, Paul was appointed to the bench by Governor Jerry Brown. He served as a Solano County Superior Court judge until his retirement in 2000. As Presiding Judge, he steered Solano courts through court consolidation in 1998. As a jurist, he was respected by attorneys, court staff and law enforcement as modest, dignified, and always willing to provide his time and advice. He later served for ten years with the Assigned Judge’s program. Paul was truly a pillar of the community. He served for many years as both lector and eucharistic minister for St. Basil's Church. He also served on the Vallejo Civil Service Commission as well as the Board of Catholic Social Service and Sutter Hospital. Paul was a man of faith, devoted husband and father. He and Mardi enjoyed traveling and getting together with family and cherished friends. He was an avid golfer and reader of spy novels. Paul was preceded in death by his wife Mardi; his parents and his sister, Jacqueline E. Dacey. He is survived by his daughters, Ann Luevano (Ted); Jacqueline Dacey (Doug); and his son, Matthew Dacey (Yvette). Memorial Mass will be held Friday, April 11 at 11 AM at St. Dominic’s Church, Benicia, CA. Private inurnment will be held at All Soul’s Cemetery, Vallejo, CA. Paul’s family would like to thank the staff of Cogir Vallejo Hills; nurse Jenny Marquez of CVH Home Health; Aragon Hills Care Home and Mary’s Help Hospice. Dad, we miss you so much.

Frederick Paul Dacey

July 8, 1931 - February 19, 2025