Rosemarie “Rose” Will: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

By Jessica Dee Rohm

In 2011, Rose and Chris Will lost their son, Matthew, to leukemia. He was just twenty years old—young, vibrant, and filled with promise. The kind of loss they experienced is the kind that divides life into two parts: before and after.

“We couldn’t save our son,” Rose says quietly. “But we wanted to find a way to help save others.”

Out of that resolve came Matthew’s Vineyard, a living tribute rooted in love, memory, and purpose. On five acres the Wills own in the rolling hills of San Luis Obispo, they planted vines not simply to make wine, but to create something that could continue Matthew’s legacy far beyond his lifetime.

The vineyard released its first vintages in 2016 and now produces approximately 4,000 bottles each year, specializing in exceptional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But for Rose and Chris, the wine is never just wine.

“Every bottle tells Matthew’s story,” Rose says. “And every bottle supports hope.”

Each October, Matthew’s Vineyard hosts a beloved harvest celebration, welcoming roughly 150 friends, supporters, and neighbors. The annual pick-up party is part reunion, part remembrance, and part joyful celebration of community. It is a moment when grief and gratitude exist side by sideproof that sorrow, when carried with love, can become something beautiful.

Proceeds from the vineyard are donated each year to Stanford University to support leukemia research through the Matthew Will Leukemia Research Fund II, ensuring that Matthew’s life continues to make a difference in the lives of countless others.

You can learn more at: matthewsvineyard.com(opens in new tab)

Finding Joy Again

Rose and Chris first met at St. Mary’s College, where Chris studied theology and philosophy, originally intended for the priesthood. Rose majored in liberal studies. Together they built a life centered on family, faith, and service, raising two daughters - Elizabeth and Abigail - who would later give them four grandchildren—with a fifth arriving this July. One grandson proudly bears Matthew’s name, a reminder that his spirit continues in the next generation.

After Matthew’s passing, joy did not return easily. Grief can isolate, numb, and quiet even the most vibrant soul. For Rose, healing came from an unexpected place: the game of bridge. Rose healed and excelled, becoming a bronze life master in twelve short years.

“Bridge helped me find my way back to life,” she says. “It gave me focus, friendship, and laughter when everything else felt so heavy. It reminded me that joy was still possible.”

In many ways, Matthew’s Vineyard mirrors that same journey—from heartbreak to connection, from loss to meaning. It stands as proof that love never disappears; it simply finds new ways to express itself.

Through vineyards and vintages, science and generosity, Rose and Chris Will have transformed tragedy into a legacy of hope—one that continues to save lives and touch hearts. ♣