Born in Morristown, N.J., Rene came to us from Mountain Lakes High School. At Princeton he majored in electrical engineering and dined at Campus. He roomed with Ed Rettig, John Barr, and Pete Vanneman. He worked at the Princeton campus radio station as technical director. Rene was involved in WPRB’s move from 100 watts to 17,000 watts of broadcast power.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned through Air Force ROTC. While he did not attain flight status, as he desired, he earned both a master’s degree and a Ph.D., also in electrical engineering, at the University of Southern California through fellowships extended by the Air Force.
He served with the National Reconnaissance Office within the U.S. intelligence community and played a key role in developments leading to the SALT treaties.
After retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1982, he spent brief stints with TRW and Hughes before starting his own company, Eastern Sierra Research.
Rene will be remembered for his quick wit, incredible mind, peculiar humor, inventive spirit, and hard-work ethic. Our class conveys condolences to his widow, Janet, and former spouses Judy and Anna; his children; and three grandchildren, John, Emma, and Alexandra.