Sonoma Valley mourns Rolf Olness, longtime family doctor killed in crash

Oct. 26--Sonoma Valley patients and medical providers grieved Wednesday as word spread of the death of longtime family doctor Rolf Olness, who treated thousands of local residents over four decades and was known for a deep kindness and dedication to his practice.

Olness, 72, died after crashing his SUV Monday night off his driveway near rural Lovall Valley Road in the hills east of Sonoma. The Toyota 4Runner dropped about 20 feet down a ravine. Olness was found inside the vehicle Tuesday about noon.

Olness for 40 years had run one of the largest local family practices in the Sonoma Valley, caring for several generations of patients, said Kelly Mather, CEO of Sonoma Valley Hospital. For at least 20 years, Olness also was associated with the hospital, most recently as director of the skilled nursing facility.

"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. Dennis Verducci, a longtime close friend, said many who knew Olness were in shock over his death.

"It's a tremendous loss for the town of Sonoma and also for me personally," Verducci said. "He was so well known throughout town. His patients were so loyal to him. They could tell he truly cared and he treated them like they were his family."

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.

Jennifer Gray, a longtime Sonoma Valley resident and district aide to county Supervisor Susan Gorin, said Olness was her doctor at a time when she had no insurance and struggled to afford the medication she needed. He charged $15 a visit.

"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 Lisa Paulson, who is investigating. It rained heavily Monday night but it remains unclear if weather was a factor.

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, Kara Reyes of Sonoma, and two grandsons. Olness was devoted to his grandsons, Verducci said, attending soccer and Pop Warner football games.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or [email protected]. On Twitter@rossmannreport.

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