Tributes have been paid to a 101 year old Falmouth resident who died earlier this month at Trevern care home.

René Bazin, who had lived in the town since 1971, passed away at the home on January 12.

Penny Green, manager at Trevern, said: “He was very valued, a lovely chap and quite a character.

“He will be dearly missed because he was a colourful chap who we were proud to care for for quite some time.”

He left behind a wife, Maria, and a son Bryan and daughter Chérie Ambasna from a previous relationship, as well as a |grandchild Sarika Ambasna.

Maria said: “He was a wonderful husband, companion and friend, we were soulmates. He was a wonderful man.”

She described René as a prolific correspondent, who always encouraged people to let out their talents, including his children and his lab assistants and protégés during his days working at |electrical equipment company Redifon.

“He was a fountain of knowledge, and of learning.”

He was a laboratory chief at Redifon and worked on the development of RDF, a predecessor to radar, before leaving the company in 1953 to set up his own company HF Industrial Services, which he sold in 1963. René was an honorary life president of the Cornwall Humanist Association and an honorary life member of the Federation of High Frequency Welding.

The funeral service will take place on Thursday, January 30 at 12.30pm, at Treswithian Downs crematorium in Camborne.

The family have requested no flowers, but enquiries regarding donations can be made to the funeral directors, T.Cooke, on 01326 312131.