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George “King” Stahlman Passed Away Friday at 85

King Stahlman Bail Bonds’ George “King” Stahlman passed away peacefully at his home on February 13.

A bondsman for over 60 years, Stahlman was something of a celebrity around San Diego. To me, Stahlman defined San Diego bail bonds. He may have been the first bail bondsman I ever really heard of. I lived in San Diego through college (and came from a small town in New Hampshire) and remember that nearly every guy I knew in San Diego had some type of King Stahlman Bail Bonds tee-shirt. I had the impression that he sponsored every type of sporting team around. His business motto, “It’s better to know me and not need me than to need me and not know me” was brilliant. 

Stahlman’s son-in-law, Michael Hardwick, issued the following statement on Friday:

San Diego has lost a great legend and one of its most colorful characters today. George “King” Stahlman died peacefully at his home this morning surrounded by family. With some irony, he passed away on a Friday the 13th, the same day his ship was sunk during World War II.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Stahlman, but I respected him greatly. His personal moto of “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise” is a great way to run any business and he clearly lived it. Stahlman was known a philanthropist in San Diego as well as potentially the best known bondsman in the county. In a piece on Stahlman in 2004, the San Diego Union Tribune noted that he held San Diego County’s oldest bail license.

Photo credit: © Jose Gil- Fotolia.com