SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A retired San Francisco archbishop who helped lead a contentious and successful 2008 California ballot measure to ban gay marriage has died. He was 80.
Archbishop George H. Niederauer died Tuesday of lung cancer at a San Rafael, California, care facility, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said in an online announcement .
It said Niederauer “was known for his spiritual leadership, intelligence and wisdom, compassion and humor, and was always focused on his responsibility to live and teach the faith.”
Niederauer loved to read, watch independent films and play bridge, the San Francisco Chronicle reported (http://bit.ly/2pFSnkH) Wednesday.
He also admitted to being a well-intentioned but “dreadful” high school trombone player, the newspaper said.