Genevieve was born in 1939, to Oxnard farmers John and Elvira Donlon. She was the eldest child of this first-generation American family as her father emigrated from Ireland in 1921. Growing up in Oxnard, Genevieve would spend her free time playing with her younger brother Shane, swimming at the Ventura State beach, playing various sports and mastering the piano. She excelled in school, both academically and in team sports. She was a star basketball player on her girls’ high school team and served many aces for her school team on the tennis court. Genevieve became the first college graduate in her family, and when she graduated from medical school in 1966, she was the only woman in her graduating class. She would practice Pathology for the next 30 years at Sonoma, Napa, Petaluma, and San Francisco hospitals. Genevieve’s many talents went far beyond the skills she used in her medical practice. Genevieve was very involved with the day-to-day operations of Roche Winery. She entertained thousands of Roche Winery customers throughout the years, and many became close friends. Outside of the winery, she was active in the wine industry, by helping form the Carneros Quality Alliance and was instrumental in petitioning the California State Legislature to name a portion of Highway 121 the “Carneros Highway.” In 2012, Roche Winery lost its matriarch, friend, grandmother, and mother, when Dr. Genevieve Roche passed away. Today, the Roche family honors “her love of pinot noir when each year they bottle the winery’s most exceptional pinot noir produced by the family, the extremely limited production Cuveé Genevieve.” Dr. Roche left her children, Brendan, Mara, Sara and Carrie, who have expanded the winery operations, including building the operations out on Bonness Road. Mara doubles as the head of Aunt Momo’s Catering, sharing treats with those around the valley. We at HVP couldn’t recommend more her treats at the Sonoma Moose Lodge or the Knights of Columbus Breakfast which has gained an audience including food critics for her mom’s ricotta donuts. www.rochewinery.com #hvplawoffices #sonoma #sonomacounty #womenshistorymonth #sonomavalley #rochewineryandvineyards
