Edwin Meese Jr., father of U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III and a member of an old Oakland political family, died yesterday in Oakland yesterday at the age of 88.

Mr. Meese, who was tax collector and treasurer for Oakland for two decades, died at Peralta Hospital after a long battle with liver cancer.

He was born in Oakland in 1897, the son of Edwin Meese, an insurance broker who was active in Oakland politics and also treasurer of the city.

Mr. Meese, a graduate of Oakland High School and the University of California at Berkeley, served in the U.S. Army during World War I and earned a law degree from Boalt Hall in 1920.

He never practiced law but spent 50 years in East Bay politics and public service.

He began as secretary to Republican State Senator Arthur H. Breed Sr. shortly after graduating from UC. After serving as a court clerk and deputy tax collector, Mr. Meese became tax collector in 1947, a post that he held for 20 years. The office was combined with the treasurer's job.

Mr. Meese liked to tell the story of an angry taxpayer who once threw his shirt on Meese's desk, saying ``You've taken everything else, you might as well have my shirt!''

Mr. Meese retired in 1967 and joined Barclay's Bank in Oakland as a community relations executive. He continued to be active in church and civic organizations, including the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, Kiwanis Club, American Legion Post 5 and Zion Lutheran Church.

In Alameda County, flags were lowered to half-staff at all administrative buildings yesterday in Meese's honor.

He is survived by his wife Leone, and his sons Edwin Meese III of Washington, Myron Meese of Oakland, Clifford Meese of Danville, and George Meese, director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, of Folsom.

Funeral services will be held Monday, June 24, at 2 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 5201 Park Boulevard, Piedmont. The family suggests contributions to the Zion Lutheran Church Memorial Fund.

Interment will be at Mountain View Cemetery.