Rene Bonniot

Rene Albert Bonniot, age 79, of Alto, New Mexico, passed away May 4, 2014, after a long, courageous battle with Parkinsons disease.

Born in Lyon, France, October 31, 1934, he spent World War II delivering coded messages for the French Resistance. After the war, he was educated in Nice before going on to become a sergeant in the French Air Force where he underwent training as an engineer. While stationed in El Paso, Texas, he met and fell in love with Irma Rey at a Valentines dance. They married shortly after in Nice and stayed married for 54 beautiful years.
Rene dedicated 30 years of his career as a computer engineer and international marketer at Xerox and later at his own business, Crealec Labs. No stranger to adventure, he, Irma and their two children, Eric and Catherine, lived in France, Germany, England and the U.S. until eventually settling down in the quiet mountain town of Alto, NM to enjoy his retirement in 1996.

Rene was an avid hiker and skier and spent many years traveling the globe. He tangoed in Argentina, rode an elephant in Thailand, walked the Great Wall of China, cruised the Danube River, saw the pyramids of Giza, skied Mont Blanc, set foot on every continent and enjoyed many other adventures with his family and friends.

He will always be remembered for his gentle demeanor, using his amazing ability to create puns to make people laugh, his creativity as an artist, his passion for writing, and his generosity. If anyone, anywhere needed a roof over their heads, Rene and Irmas door was always open.

Rene is survived by his wife, Irma, his children Eric Bonniot of Calabassas, CA and Catherine Saucedo of San Francisco, CA, and his four grandchildren, Madeleine, Liam, Devon and Elise.

A celebration of his life will be held Tuesday, May 13, at 5:00 PM at his residence.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that tribute donations be made out to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research. https:www.michaeljfox.orggetinvolveddonation.phpfrid2380