William Brodsley

Carmel/Carmel Valley resident since 1956, William Brodsley, a longtime Carmel area resident and beloved community member, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025, at the age of 93. Born on August 13, 1931, in Bayonne, New Jersey, to Dora and Samuel Brodsley, William lived a vibrant and purposeful life marked by professional success, environmental advocacy, artistic passion, and an endearing sense of humor.

After graduating with a B.S. from Rutgers University in New Brunswick in 1953, William served honorably in the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1955. He was stationed at the Pentagon with top-level security clearance (for what reason he never knew), though he fondly recalled having “a desk and no specific duties” – spending his time trying to look busy when supervisors walked by and occasionally taking naps in the supply closet.

In 1956, William moved to the Monterey Peninsula, where he would spend the rest of his life. That same year, he married Theresa Britten, beginning a devoted partnership that would last 52 years. Theresa established The Guitar Shop in 1957, creating one of the first West Coast guitar shops to import fine European classical guitars and teaching countless students throughout the Monterey Peninsula.

William’s business career began when Barney Segal invited him to help with the newly opened Carmel Savings and Loan Association, housed in a modest 400-square-foot space next to Carmel Drug Store on Ocean Avenue. Working closely with Segal from 1956 to 1971, William helped transform the small institution into a major regional financial presence. He spearheaded the transition from pen-and-ink bookkeeping to computerized operations in 1963 – a pioneering move that none of the four employees initially understood but successfully implemented. William also managed the GI loan program during this transformative period.

When the Savings & Loan was sold in 1971, William remained with the new organization until 1983, then established a successful independent real estate appraisal firm that served the Monterey Peninsula until 2001. The success of the Savings & Loan effectively created the Segal Charitable Trust, which has benefited numerous Monterey County nonprofits since 1988. William served as co-trustee of the trust, which received recognition as Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation at the 16th annual National Philanthropy Day event in 2007.

An early environmental pioneer, William championed the use of California native plants for landscaping beginning in the early 1970s – a practice now widely adopted but then considered unconventional. He spent 25 years tirelessly eradicating invasive French Broom in Carmel Valley. True to his environmental principles, he was known for allowing volunteer plants to grow wherever they sprouted, even in the middle of patios, creating unusual sculptural protective barriers that family members would inevitably trip over.

Despite his commitment to native plants, he paradoxically maintained a carefully tended rose garden, waging a decades-long battle with deer who constantly ate the buds. His solution – an electric fence – proved futile, as the deer continued their raids regardless.

In retirement, William and Theresa became full-time artists. William specialized in small ceramic sculptures while Theresa focused on watercolor, acrylic painting, and printmaking. One particular ceramic sculpture, a life-sized head, would inevitably startle many passersby who thought a person was lurking in the garden. Both were gallery members of the Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation on Cannery Row for 16 years. The couple also shared a passion for tango dancing, dedicating years to perfecting their technique..

William is survived by his son, Adam Brodsley of Mill Valley, daughter-in-law Justine, and granddaughter Isabella. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Theresa.

A celebration of William’s life will be held at a date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to local environmental conservation organizations.