Obituaries Obituaries (January 28, 2005)

Raymond Gonzalez

Raymond Gonzalez, 70, a long-time Pleasanton resident, died Jan. 25 after a lengthy illness.

Born in Westwood and raised in Oakland, he was a devoted family man who enjoyed football, NASCAR and spending time with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Rita; daughters Terri, Toni and Suzi; two sisters; and three grandchildren.

A celebration of his life was held at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church. Donations may be made in his name to the National Kidney Foundation. Eva A. Black

Eva A. Black, 87, died on Jan. 14 in Livermore.

Born in Shawnee, Okla., on Dec. 10, 1917, she lived in Livermore for seven-and-a-half years. She worked as a travel agent for AAA.

She was a member of AARP and Moose International. Among her hobbies, she enjoyed fishing and traveling.

She leaves a son, Harold Whitlow of Discovery Bay; a daughter, Shirley Eggers of Pleasanton; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Burial was held at Rolling Hills Memorial Park in Richmond. Thomas Merritt Barner

Pleasanton resident Thomas Merritt Barner died Jan. 5 at the Livermore Veterans Administration hospital. He was 84.

Born in McDonald, Penn., on March 12, 1920, he lived in Pleasanton for two years. He was a member of the National Campers and Hikers Association.

He leaves four daughters, Cheryl Barner of Fremont, Mildred McPherson of New Jersey, Lorraine Putman of Tennessee and Janine Scheff of Pleasanton; two sons, Thomas Barner Jr. of Texas and Anthony Barner of Connecticut; one sister; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

His wife, Nellie Lorraine Barner, preceded him in death in 1973.

A memorial service was held at Callaghan Mortuary in Livermore and inurnment is at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Gustine. Lottie Arndt

Longtime Ridge View Commons resident Lottie Martha Christina Thomsen Arndt, 84, died in Pleasanton on Dec. 19.

Born on May 14, 1920, in Kiel, Germany, she and her family immigrated to the United States in 1925. One of the first things she discovered and loved in the United States was chewing gum and watching movies with vaudeville shows. She grew up in Chicago, where she married Carl H. Arndt in 1940.

They lived in Michigan for many years before moving to California in 1977. Lottie lived at Ridge View Commons since it opened in 1989, and she valued her many friendships there.

Her love of her family was the most important thing in her life. She was an excellent cook and she enjoyed drawing, music, attending musicals and singing in the church choir. She loved to travel and crossed the country many times by car.

She leaves two children, Jean Felton of Pleasanton and Carl Arndt Jr. of Michigan; three grandchildren, John and Conni Felton of Pleasanton and Promise Arndt of Michigan; and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1990 and by a daughter, Janice Kay, who died at birth.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Tri-Valley Haven for Women, P.O. Box 2190, Livermore 94551. Renee Smith

Local artist and activist Renee Corey Smith, 72, of Livermore died Jan. 2 from complications of cancer.

Born in Tarrytown, N.Y., she graduated from Ithaca College and attended UC Berkeley. She was a professional pianist and taught high school and grade school music.

In addition to establishing a piano, organ, flute and opera workshop and the first Festival of Arts in the Livermore-Amador Valley, she founded the Del Valle Fine Arts Concert Series and the Blankenship Program for disadvantaged children. An author of two books, she founded and directed madrigal groups in Livermore and Pittsburgh, Pa., where she wrote a children's television series on music.

Among her many awards, she was also recognized by the Who's Who of American Women and a fellowship in her honor was given by the American Association of University Women.

She was a member of the St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church in Livermore.

She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Gordon Smith; two sons and their wives, Kevin and Deirdre of Westport, Conn., and Darren and Nancy of Newport Beach; four grandchildren; and a brother and his wife.

A Mass celebrating her life was held at St. Charles Borromeo Church and interment followed at Roselawn Cemetery in Livermore.

In her memory, the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council established the Renee Smith Young Artist Award in Music. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to that fund by mailing a check, payable to the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council, noting the Renee Smith Award, to P.O. Box 1298, Pleasanton 94566. Harold Bruno

Harold Joseph Bruno died Jan. 16 in Walnut Creek. He was 92.

Born in Oakland on July 21, 1912, to Joseph and Katie Bruno, he lived in Pleasanton for 39 years and in Oakland for 53 years.

He served in the U.S. Army in the medical corps during World War II in Burma.

He was an employee of Oakland Scavenger for 44 years and was a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West and the Ligure Club. Among his hobbies, he enjoyed hunting and traveling.

He is survived by three nephews, Ronald Bruno and Kenneth Bruno, both of Livermore, and Edward Bruno of Sonora; and two nieces, Gina Small and Virginia Bruno, both of Livermore.

His wife of 27 years, Elen Bruno, preceded him in death.

A Mass celebrating his life was held at St. Augustine Catholic Church and he was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Oakland.

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