Sonoma Valley mourns Rolf Olness, longtime family doctor killed in crash
Olness, 72, died after crashing his SUV Monday night off his driveway near rural
Olness for 40 years had run one of the largest local family practices in the
"He was really loved by his patients. He was a very kind, caring man," Mather said, recounting a story about Olness laundering the clothes of longterm patients at his home. "He did an outstanding job."
Dr.
"It's a tremendous loss for the town of
A flood of Facebook posts by patients emphasized the doctor's kindness. He was described as always professional with a knack for making patients feel comfortable.
"I never forgot it and thanked him many times over the years," Gray wrote on widely circulated Facebook post. "I am not alone."
For about 30 years Olness treated the full range of ailments for patients -- who he referred to as "dear friends" -- ranging from newborns to the elderly, Verducci said.
A few years ago the doctor scaled back his practice to about 600 patients, many of them elderly. The "concierge" practice meant he made house calls and responded day or night, Verducci said.
Olness was headed home Monday night when he crashed. He was driving along the steep, narrow driveway toward his home when he ran off of the lane, said CHP Officer
There was no clear sign of what caused his death, including no obvious injury, according to the CHP. An autopsy was scheduled to determine if he suffered internal injuries or had suffered a medical emergency, possibly leading to the crash, Paulson said.
He is survived by his daughter,
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