August 14, 1929 – April 13, 2025
April 22, 2025 — Frank Eugene Farella passed away peacefully on a beautiful spring afternoon surrounded by his family. He was 95 years old and his time with us came to an end after a full and expansive life. He is survived by his wife Amy, children Elizabeth, Anne, Thomas and William. Thomas and his wife Leslie are parents of Frank’s grandchildren, Daisy and Gabriel.
Frank was born August 14,1929 in Seattle, Washington and spent most of his youth in Gresham, Oregon. His early years, shaped by the Great Depression and culminating just as World War II ended, were defined by resilience and curiosity. Much of that time was spent with his Italian immigrant grandparents who connected him deeply to his roots and culture. This experience would guide much of the cuisine and aesthetics he would curate throughout his later life. He had endless stories of these difficult and often magical times growing up, taking odd jobs to help the family survive and his daring adventures as he grew up in a fast-changing world.
Though he dreamed of becoming a football coach or a rancher, Frank’s strong-willed mother nudged him toward a path she saw as more substantial. He started his college life at Oregon State University where he played football and set records on the track team and later went to Stanford Law School where he graduated in 1954. There, he met Barbara Dawson with whom he would have four children that they raised in San Rafael while he built his legal career as a young attorney in San Francisco.
As a father, Frank was a towering figure and solid guide but his warmth and love for fun and adventure was endless. Rarely did a weekend go by where, after a busy work week, he would pack up the car and the family would head off on some sort of excursion. It was a joyful time whether at the beach, in the local hills or in the mountains as his love for nature was as strong as his drive to share these experiences.
In 1962, he co-founded Elke, Farella and Braun with Tom Elke and Jerry Braun. Tom would later leave and John Martel joined the firm now known as Farella, Braun and Martel. In the early years, the three attorneys had a small office on Pine Street in San Francisco with the help of one hard-working and beloved secretary. By the 1970’s, the firm had grown and moved to the Russ Building and eventually occupied much of the 31-story building. Frank was President of the San Francisco Bar Association in 1978 and was recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law for almost three decades.
As the firm grew and the business world changed, Frank became focused on hotels, restaurants, and wine businesses. As the wine business grew, he found himself at the center of many transactions and growth strategies, none more prominent than those from his association with Robert Mondavi and his family. He forged a close and enduring relationship with Margrit and Robert that spanned decades and weathered enormous hurdles.
Throughout his life and business career, Frank had an uncanny knack for having business relationships that were also close friendships. His passion for food and wine was closely tied to his love for warm, convivial, and spirited times around the dinner table and he was often the life of the party. There was a seamlessness to these connections and he greatly valued the time and the people with whom he surrounded himself.
In 1976, Frank’s deep passion for wine transformed his dream to be a rancher into buying a 56-acre parcel a few miles east of the town of Napa. It was an older, bare parcel that soon became a 26-acre vineyard. His connection to Robert Mondavi through his life as an attorney soon became a part of the growth in Napa Valley’s evolution to its world-famous status. In 1985, with his son Tom, he launched a small winery that continues to produce artisan wines to this day with a strong connection to the land.
Frank Farella’s place in history is widely known amongst winery owners, restaurateurs and hoteliers but his specialty was the close connections and sage advice through difficult challenges. He forged friendships and business relations seamlessly which is a testament to his drive, passion, warmth and wisdom. As a husband, father and grandfather, he is cherished. As a friend and colleague, his place at the table will always be missed. His passion and zeal for life is unmatched and he leaves a great legacy of how life can be lived with a full heart and endless desire.
