Michel Paul Bonard passed away peacefully at home on February 13, 2023, at the age of 78, after a long battle with kidney cancer.

Michel is lovingly remembered by his beloved wife of 27 years, Joslyn Read; his son, Christophe Andre Bonard (Bridget Bonard); his daughter, Caroline Florence Bonard-Noble (Damien Noble); his three grandchildren, Andre Henri Bonard, Julien Aurelius Noble and Alexandra Catherine Noble; his first wife, Catherine Sorin; his brother-in-law, Roland Russell Read; his sister-in-law, Beatrice McKenzie; and his nephew and niece, McKenzie Wilder Read and Marguerite Katherine Read.

Michel was born during WWII in Paris (9eme), France on April 23, 1944 to Henri Lucien François Bonard and Sébastienne Paule Escalier.  In the 1960's, he earned advanced degrees in Engineering in Toulouse, France, with emphasis on Telecommunications, Optics, Semiconductors, Electrical Engineering, and Thermodynamics.

Over the next 30+ years, Michel's career led to work in radio and microwave telecommunications, helicopter avionics, aviation, and aerospace projects throughout the U.S., Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asian nations.

A creative and inventive man, Michel was deeply concerned about the environment, fascinated by electric cars, and passionate about the ocean and sailing. A visionary who brought his dreams into reality, Michel was especially proud of the electric car he designed and built in 2009 ( washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/24/AR2009082403100.html ); and his solutions to resolve orbital debris ( spacenews.com/42511space-debris-mitigation-a-new-hope-for-a-realistic-solution ).

Michel and Joslyn, his soulmate, enjoyed visiting close family in the U.S., France, and Spain; sailing in the Caribbean, Tahiti and Fiji; gardening together; and building up their home in Potomac. His optimistic and positive nature was contagious.

Michel is predeceased by his parents and brothers, Jean Raymond Bonard and Jacques Henri Bonard, and his mother-in-law, June Faber Read.

The service will be held this Saturday, February 18, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Glenview Mansion, 603 Edmonston Dr, Rockville, MD with interment to follow at the historic Rockville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Michel's honor to kidney cancer research ( kidneycancer.org ) or ( kidneycan.org ), or the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University ( lombardi.georgetown.edu/giving ).