Update: Ex-governor, others praise Dave Cogdill Sr.’s service to state, Modesto area

David Cogdill Sr., a former state lawmaker and leader in Modesto and Stanislaus County government, died Sunday at 66.

Cogdill, who also owned a real estate appraisal business, died of pancreatic cancer, his family said.

Cogdill was among the region’s most widely respected office-holders over the past quarter-century, starting with his 1991 election to the Modesto City Council.

He got perhaps the most attention statewide with his 2009 ouster as Senate Republican leader. Fellow party members did not like his budget agreement with Democrats and GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The next year, Cogdill received the Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

News of his death brought an outpouring of tributes on Twitter:

“Dave Cogdill was a fantastic friend, a great leader & a true public servant who put the people above all else,” Schwarzenegger said.

State Sen. Tom Berryhill, R-Twain Harte, calle Cogdill “a great friend & leader ... He was the real deal. I’m going to miss him dearly.”

“Honored to call Dave Cogdill a colleague & friend,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, a former Democratic leader in the Senate. “A principled leader who put people above politics & helped save California.”

David Ellis Cogdill was born Dec. 31, 1950, in Long Beach. He took a job as a clerk-typist in the Mono County assessor’s office in 1971 and worked his way up to chief appraiser. He moved to Modesto and in 1981 founded Cogdill & Giomi, an appraisal firm, with David Giomi.

Cogdill declined to seek a second term on the City Council, then returned in 1996 to fill a vacancy. He served in the state Assembly from 2000 to 2006 and the Senate from 2006 to 2010.

Cogdill was elected county assessor in 2011 and left in 2013 to become president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association. He also served on the California Water Commission and as chairman of the Maddy Institute at Fresno State University.

Cogdill and his wife, Stephanie, were married for 47 years. They have a son, David Jr.; a daughter, Meghan Merrell; and three grandchildren, Connor, Katie and Cooper.

David Codgill Jr. served one term on the City Council and also worked at the appraisal firm, now named Cogdill & Associates.

“My dad was my hero and I strive to be half as good a man, father and servant as he was,” the younger Cogdill said in a written statement Sunday. “Stoic and reserved, he selflessly dedicated his life to his family and community.”

This story was originally published July 23, 2017 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Update: Ex-governor, others praise Dave Cogdill Sr.’s service to state, Modesto area."