A celebration of life for Rene Langdon Cardinal, 78, a longtime Nevadan, will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Carson Valley Inn in Minden.
Mr. Cardinal died unexpectedly Sept. 15, 2005, while cruising Alaska.
He was born Sept. 21, 1926, to Rene Lucien and Beryl Langdon Black Cardinal in Loyalton, Calif.
He graduated from Loyalton High School and joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the Pacific and Korean theaters.
Following his discharge from the Navy, he married Mary Anne Groso in 1949. and attended Woodbury College in Los Angeles. She preceded him in death.
He moved to San Francisco where he became chief comptroller at United Parcel Service.
In 1964, he purchased the historic Wellington Mercantile and Hoye Hotel in Wellington.
In 1993, he married Deloris Picco.
Mr. Cardinal was a world traveler, bridge player, musician and ballroom dancer.
While in Smith Valley, he served as planning commissioner and Lyon County Commissioner.
He was instrumental in establishing the Smith Valley Volunteer Fire Department.
He was a member of the Smith Valley Rotary and the Masonic Lodge in Yerington.
Mr. Cardinal enjoyed music and played the trumpet in his youth and the piano throughout his life.
His great desire was to become a jazz piano player in a nightclub.
In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by his brother John W. "Jack" Black.
Among his survivors are his wife, Deloris; daughters and sons-in-law Laura Cardinal and Craig Liming of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and Marsha Cardinal and Mark Warren of Reno; son and daughter-in-law Mike and Sally of Carson City; stepdaughters Anne Goni of San Francisco and Lisa and husband Luis Zabelegui of Reno; stepson Jerry and wife Liana Brigham; nine grandchildren; one great-granddaughter and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Red Cross for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
