John Gregory Roveda Died in his home in Alameda
on June 4, 2008. John was born February 19, 1938 in Richmond and was a lifelong
Bay Area resident. He was a father, a husband, an attorney, and a businessman.
He is loved and will be remembered by all. John is survived by his wife of 28
years, Judith Goff Roveda; four children: Christine Rush, Michelle Fay, Jay
Roveda, and John Roveda Jr.; sons-in-law: Matthew Rush and Andrew Fay; nephew,
Stephen Harper; and granddaughters: Hayley Roveda and Evelyn Rush. After
graduating from St. Mary's College HS in Berkeley in 1955, John matriculated to
the University of S.F. He was a founding member of USF's only fraternity at the
time, the Gamma Omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, International Business
Fraternity. John relieved the stress of studying by becoming a charter member of
a second USF fraternity, Beta chapter of Beta Rho Upsilon, whose initials
describe their main party ingredient. John also was in the Army ROTC program at
USF. He graduated in 1961 earning a BS in business administration. After
college, John attended the New York Institute of Finance, where he completed the
course in work of the stock exchange and brokerage office procedure, and served
as a stockbroker. John became the third generation Roveda to join the family
business, United Beverage Distributors, Inc., in Oakland. His grandfather,
Joseph Roveda, founded the wholesale beer distributorship in 1933. John
ultimately became president of United Beverage and held that post when the
company celebrated 50 years of business in 1983. John was admitted to the
California State Bar in 1990. He practiced law in Alameda, and periodically
served as a Judge Pro Tempore. In 1997 John was duly admitted and qualified as
an attorney and counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a
member of the Italian American Bar Association and Lawyer Friends of Wine. John
was extremely active in Bay Area clubs and service organizations. He served as
the president of the Athenian-Nile Club and the Alameda Boys and Girls Club. He
served on the Design Review Board and Planning Board for the City of Alameda,
and was a committee member of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. He was a member
of the Oakland Council of the Navy League, the One-Hundred Club, Alameda Elks
Lodge, Rotary Club of Alameda, Porsche Club of America, and UNICO. To satisfy
his love of California History, John joined Yerba Buena Chapter #1 of E
Clampus Vitus, rising to the inestimable rank of Noble Grand Humbug. John
had a lifelong love of the ocean and sailed the Trans Pacific Yacht Race in
1975. He served as commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and was a member of
the Encinal Yacht Club. He may best be remembered for his annual involvement in
the Newport-to-Ensenada Yacht Race. Every year, John, and a few close friends
known as "The Prospectors," would compete in white tie, tails, and topsiders,
usually finishing last but always having the most fun of any boat in the race.
The Prospectors were awarded a special trophy for "The classiest crew to
continue to race in this event in its 35 plus years." The Chronicle's Herb Caen
loved to write about the crew's shenanigans each year. John frequently met with
friends at Alameda's Gold Coast Grill for a good glass of wine and conversation.
He loved telling jokes, watching Jeopardy, model railroads, winning at dominoes,
pheasant hunting, and Labrador Retrievers. Above all else, John loved his
family. He was a true lover of life, and a warm, humorous, and generous man.
Private service was held at St. Joseph's Cemetery, San Pablo on June 11.
Memorial Celebration of John's Life will be held Saturday, June 28, 2-5pm at
Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda. 510-522-3272. For contributions in honor of
John's life, the family suggests donations to: Alameda Boys & Girls Club, PO Box
1069, Alameda, CA 94501. 510-522-4900. For further information please call:
GREER FAMILY MORTUARY FD1408 Alameda, 510-865-3755
Published in the San Francisco Chronicle on 6/18/2008.