Rene Smania — 1964-2011

Rene Ernest Smania, 47, passed from this world way too soon on Nov. 29, 2011, after a courageous three-year battle with cancer.

Born in San Francisco to Swiss parents, his family returned to Switzerland when he was 3. He attended chef and butcher schools in Switzerland before serving two years in the Swiss army.

Rene Smania

He returned to the United States in 1985, learned to speak English and found success in a number of professions, including chef, managing hardware and retail stores, and most recently as manager of the Happy Homestead Cemetery in South Lake Tahoe.

In 1992, he met his wife of 18 years, Celine. The two moved from Maui to South Lake Tahoe where they were married and built a wonderful life together with their four-legged children, Zephyr, Bentley and Sammy.

Besides being the jokester that he was, Rene was a man of many talents. The longer he and Celine were married the more she said she kept discovering his hidden talents.

Cooking was his passion, along with motorcycles, skiing, painting, yodeling and just about anything else.

Most of all he loved sitting around the kitchen table after a good meal with family and friends talking about everything and anything.

“Thank you Rene for 18 wonderful years. I’ll love you forever and a day,” Celine said.

His father, Ernest, and Aunt Rita preceded Rene in death.

He is survived by his wife, Celine; mother Vera; brother Michael; sister Esther and her husband Richard; Uncle Paul; cousins Michelle and Susy; in-law Doris Hamann and Gerard Thibeault and their children Linda and Dennis; other relatives and numerous friends.