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2017/04/24 - Las Vegas, NV, AEB

(hil-ohar hau Las Vegas Review-Journal, Legacy.com-ek eman du argitara)

John "Mitch" Cobeaga

(Ely, NV 04-22-1942 - Las Vegas, NV 04-24-2017)

John Mitchell "Mitch" Cobeaga, the patriarch of a long-time Nevada family and second generation Nevadan, passed away Monday, April 24, 2017, at the age of 75.

Mitch's grandparents migrated to the United States in the early 1900's from the Basque region of Spain, and worked on sheep ranches in northern Nevada. After his father, Mitchell A. Cobeaga, joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1939, he and his wife, Mary S. Cobeaga, were stationed at Hickam Air Field, Hawaii at the start of World War II. While four months pregnant with Mitch Dec. 7, 1941, Mary watched through a window of her harbor-side home as Japanese aircraft sunk the USS Nevada at Pearl Harbor. Shortly afterwards, Mitch was born April 22, 1942, in Steptoe Valley Hospital, in Ely, to Mitchell Anton Cobeaga and Mary Sala Cobeaga.

There was never any doubt that Mitch would follow in his father's footsteps and upon graduation from high school, Mitch attended the United States Air Force Academy and was a proud graduate of the 20th Cadet Squadron, "Tough Twenty Trolls," in 1964. While there, he cultivated his love of golf and after graduation, Mitch went on to pilot training where he learned to fly the F-4 Phantom. With nerves of steel, he eventually became a Wild Weasel fighter pilot, and Mitch finished his 100th combat mission over northern Vietnam in March 1967.

In 1971, he left the Air Force to begin the next biggest passion of his life: practicing the law. Mitch graduated from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in Sacramento, Calif., and eventually became senior partner and CEO of the firm Beckley, Singleton, DeLanoy, Jemison. In 2001, he left that firm and founded what evolved into the Cobeaga Law Firm. His love of flying was nearly matched by his love of the courtroom. He was fond of saying that the thrill he got from civil jury trials almost equaled the thrill he received from flying the F-4.

Mitch married his wife, Sylvia, a woman he lovingly regarded as the most wonderful woman in the world Aug. 28, 1980. Sylvia has four children from her first marriage, Veronica, Joseph, Stephanie and Teresa; and Mitch has two from his first marriage, Mitch and John; and together they rounded out the family with twins, Paul and Michelle Cobeaga. As their children spread out across the country, establishing their own families and careers, Mitch and Sylvia could not be more proud of all their children, 19 grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Above all, Mitch loved his family and he could never stop bragging about all of his kids' accomplishments.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mitchell Anton Cobeaga, Mary Sala Cobeaga; son, John Pierre Cobeaga; and first wife, Toni Cobeaga. Mitch is also survived by his sister, Catherine Cobeaga, and together they shared a life-long love for baseball and the New York Yankees. He was so grateful to have his sister in Las Vegas with him and their father, Mitchell, before his passing in 2007.

Despite the numerous accomplishments he received during his career as a lawyer and fighter pilot, Mitch will forever be remembered for his generous heart, charisma, sense of humor, intelligence, willingness to help others, and desire to make those around him better individuals. He always had time for every single person he passed in the courtroom, office, and around town. He truly cared about everyone he encountered and he lived a life of humility and grace. He lived each day, one day at a time, and the world is a better place because of the life he lived.

There will be a private family burial in Reno. In Las Vegas, there will be a funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 12, at St. Viator's Catholic Church, 2461 E. Flamingo Road. Celebration of life will follow at noon at the Las Vegas Country Club, 3000 Joe W. Brown Drive. All friends and family are warmly welcomed to both the Mass and Celebration in Las Vegas. Donations in lieu of flowers will be accepted. Mitch was a founding volunteer member of the Veteran's Ask a Lawyer program, a free legal program to help vets in need, at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Donations can be made in Mitch's memory to Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.