SARATOGA — Yves Gregoire Casabonne, 78, died peacefully in San Francisco on Nov. 21. Yves was the beloved husband of Annette and very proud father of Daniel. He did it his way. He was dancing the polka on Sunday night, he worked in the yard on Monday and Tuesday, and that night he had a massive stroke. Two days later he was gone.
A native of Arette (Pyrenees Atlantique) France, he arrived in San Francisco in 1959 to pursue the American Dream. Never afraid of hard work, long hours, and taking chances by looking forward with different ideas, he achieved all of his goals. Yves started four different successful businesses from scratch in San Francisco, Redwood City, and Saratoga.
After retiring from the retail business that Annette and Yves ran together for 20 years in Saratoga, he felt like he was too young to really retire. That is when he got the idea to purchase his favorite dance hall, Little Switzerland in Sonoma. That was the beginning of another chapter in his life and perhaps some of his happiest times.
Yves and Annette celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary earlier this year and were planning a trip to France to visit family and friends.
He had a love of cars, polka dancing (Little Switzerland-Sonoma), and he was always willing to try new things. Last year while on vacation in Mexico, he went parasailing along the coast, did the zip cord through the jungle, swam with the dolphins, and pet sting rays. He loved wheeling and dealing. Three days a week he would be found at various flea markets from San Jose, Santa Cruz to Concord buying things that he didn’t need but he just couldn’t pass up because he was able to get a good deal.
He is survived by sisters Rosette (Pierre), Jacqueline (Jean Louis) and brother-in-law Emile Bourdet (Sandra) and many nieces, nephews, and cousins in France and in the San Francisco Bay Area.
