William Benjamin “Ben” Bobo was a quiet San Francisco resident who spent years walking his golden retriever, Chad, around Alta Plaza Park near his home. Few people who saw the pair there could have known that Bobo would eventually leave millions of dollars to the city’s parks. When he died in August 2023 at the age of 87, his estate was valued at about $5 million, largely because of the rise in value of properties he owned. His will directed 80% of the estate to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, with his wishes focused particularly on park benches. The resulting bequest was about $3.6 million, far more than the city could reasonably spend on benches alone.
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