Franco Renosto

After a long joyful life, Franco left this earthly home on Wednesday evening July 2, 2025 in the presence of his loving family.

Franco was born on 30 Nov 1939 during WWll and spent his youth in post-war Treviso, Italy with his siblings working at his family’s Osteria, hanging out with friends at the pescheria, playing soccer and visiting nearby beaches.

He attended the University of Padova receiving his doctorate in chemistry and joined the faculty of agrarian chemistry. A turning point in his life was receiving a NATO Fellowship in 1974 for a visiting professorship at UC Davis, where he fell in love with California and its beaches, as well as several U.S. National Parks. He returned to his post in Italy several times, but eventually renounced his faculty position in Italy and immigrated to California through the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. As an adult he studied martial arts while continuing soccer as a pastime.

He retired early from UC Davis devoting himself as a stay-at-home parent to his daughters during their school years. He spent these years cooking, gardening and maintaining a vast cacti collection. His love of soccer fostered an interest in coaching youth soccer, an activity he enjoyed for many years. He belonged to a writing group for decades where he developed deep connections to several fellow writers. He participated in various French discussion and writing groups over the decades as well. In his later years he could be seen on an Alinker with his camera, capturing nature from various angles or making wine with his son-in-law.

He leaves his wife Carol and daughters Alyssa, Valerie (husband Stephen), and Alessandra; and his sister Leila (husband Attilio) and brother Giuliano (wife Fanny).

All are welcome to join the family for a memorial service followed by a reception on Friday August 1, 2025 at 2 pm at St. James Church, 1275 B St., Davis, CA