Emery Allen Reno

He was born on March 4, 1940, in Clovis, New Mexico to George Lafayette Reno and Nellie B. Ditto. Emery was the youngest of five children, with two sisters, Louise and Ellena, and two brothers, Oscar and George.

Emery graduated from Sunnyvale High School and entered the United States Navy where he proudly served for 6 years. He had many fond memories of his military brothers and his time stationed in Oahu, Hawaii.

In September of 1965, Emery met the love of his life and by December of that same year, asked her to be his bride. Emery was the beloved husband of Lola Reno, with whom he shared 60 wonderful years of marriage. Together, they built a life and a family filled with love, laughter, and memories. He was a devoted father to his daughter, Amy (Reno) Besnard, and a loving father-in-law to Bruce Besnard. His grandsons, Ethan and Cade Besnard, were the greatest joys of his life. He is also survived by many special nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly.

Professionally, Emery was a talented machinist and inventor whose extraordinary ability to create things with his hands left a lasting mark. Among his many accomplishments, Emery created the part that holds the stabilizing gimbal in the Hubble Space Telescope, a testament to his extraordinary talent and creativity.

Yet, for all of his professional accomplishments, Emery would probably have considered his family his greatest achievement.

He loved being with the people he loved. He enjoyed playing games with his family, working on puzzles and word searches, watching birds, cheering on the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, and trying his luck with scratcher tickets or at the casino. He loved dancing with his lifelong dance partner Lola, something he cherished to the end.

Emery’s fabulous smile could light up a room, and his gentle nature made people feel comfortable in his presence. He was always willing and prepared to help anyone because he was simply a good man.

A loving husband.

A devoted dad.

A proud Papa.

A cherished uncle.

A loyal friend.

A gentleman in every sense of the word.

His family will miss his smile, his hugs, his laughter, and his kindness. They will miss having him at the table, playing games, watching the Niners, sharing a laugh, or simply being together.

Emery leaves behind a lifetime of love and memories that will remain in the hearts of his family forever. His legacy is not only in the remarkable things he created, but in the lives he touched and the love he gave so freely. He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished.

We will be honoring Emery’s memory with an informal open house on Saturday, October 10 from 12:00 - 4:00 pm at the Reno residence. Feel free to drop in to share memories and celebrate Emery’s extraordinary life. Please contact the family for location.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Heart Association or the American Lung Association by clicking on the link below.