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.