Faucher

Rene Eugene Faucher, born January 13, 1930, in Eau Claire Wisconsin, died January 21, 2026, at the age of 96. Rene married Margaret Mary (Peggy) Reynolds on November 17, 1951. Peggy was born on July 31, 1928, in Las Vegas, New Mexico and died on December 17, 2023, at the age of 95 in Sun City West.

Rene was a star athlete in both football and basketball as well as a drummer in the band. He joined the Army out of high school and was assigned to the Radio Corp.

Rene moved to Winslow in 1950 and initially drove a bread truck for his folks who owned and operated the Home Town Bakery.

Peggy moved to Wickenburg, AZ from Watrous, NM as a baby where her dad worked as a butcher. She then moved to Clarkdale, AZ where she grew up and moved to Winslow for her senior year in high school. She completed her nurse's training at the St Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix only to return to Winslow where she nursed her mother, Mary Margaret (maiden name: McCormick) until she passed from breast cancer at 40 years old. During this ordeal Peggy met Rene.

Peggy continued to work as an RN throughout her life, first at the Winslow Hospital, then the Santa Fe Clinic and finally as the school nurse for the Winslow Elementary Schools.

Planes, Trains and automobiles and Motorcycles.

Trains

Rene hired on the Santa Fe in 1953 as a brakeman qualifying as a conductor in 1964 where he worked for 45 years. He was President of the Union for more than 25 years. He also opened the Electronics Shop in the 50's first repairing radios. He continued his electronics training by mail order to repair televisions and then colored tv's when they came out. He also studied radio transmitters by mail order then took a six-week course in Los Angeles. After rigorous testing he got his Federal Radio License which qualified him to maintain and operate the Winslow KINO radio transmitter which he did for decades. Rene also worked as a disc jockey there and played drums in a number of bands in Winslow, Ash Fork and Seligman.

Motorcycles and Automobiles

Rene rode into Winslow on a flat head Indian Motorcycle and had motorcycles most of his life. He bought a 1970 Dodge Charger 440 S/T, one of the iconic big engine block cars. Yes, it was very fast!

Airplanes

In about 1972, Rene started flying airplanes and eventually bought a brand-new Cessna 172, he named the Delta Niner. He flew this airplane all over the southwest with many trips to the west coast and Catalina Island becoming one of the short field take-off and landing experts.

Retirement

Peggy and Rene retired and moved to Sun City West in the Valley of the Sun where they enjoyed friends and neighbors in new interests for nearly 30 years. Peggy became a prolific Toll Painting artist and card shark in Bridge. Rene picked up ping pong and taught entry level classes in computing.

Both Peggy and Rene enjoyed a long life well lived and a family that stretched from Manhattan Beach, CA to Manhattan, New York. They are survived by their children Rene Mike, Mark, Mari and Yvonne, and grandchildren Misha, Wesley Anne, Whitney Brie, Romy and Mia and great grandchildren, Shea, Rye Nichol, Benjamin Rene, Eli and Lucille Rene.