Linda Kay Reznik

Linda Kay (Stone) Reznik passed peacefully during the quiet, early hours of June 2, 2024, after four years of struggle with Alzheimer’s.   During that time, Linda never lost her compassion, optimism, spirit for fun, and love for the Lord, husband Mike, family, or cherished friendships.  Just like the exquisite stained-glass art for which she was renowned, Linda’s life was a brilliant blend of faith, hard work, adventures, and creativity melded together by a simple strand of love.

Linda’s story all began in 1949, when she was born on September 25,1949, to Travis and Ruby (Meyer) Stone in Lamesa.  From the very beginning, she was “Daddy’s Girl.”  Her sister, Connie, was born 12 months later.  The family moved from Lubbock to New Mexico to Dimmitt where brother Steve was born.   Shortly thereafter they settled in Black in a narrow two-story house called “The Shoe.  There they welcomed baby brother, Gary.  Later, her dad built a bigger new home for the family on the farmstead he had just bought.

At “The Farm,” Linda and her siblings learned the value of hard work by hoeing weeds in the fields.  Summers were spent with her grandparents and many cousins in Lamesa and Slaton.  She attended Friona ISD, was a cheerleader, thespian, and excelled in varsity basketball.  When a junior, she agreed to a double date with a young man who had been her classmate since first grade – Mike Reznik. That led to a solo date, then two or three more dates before Mike asked her to go steady.  From that moment on, she was “Mike’s Girl.” 

In 1968 Linda graduated from Friona and attended South Plains College, where she made many lifelong friends. She was on the TexAnn Drill Squad and performed throughout the region.  She received her Associate of Arts in Business in 1970.  One week after graduation, Linda married her high school sweetheart, Mike, in Friona on May 16, 1970.  She and Mike celebrated their 54^th Anniversary this past May.   

After the wedding, Linda went to work to support Mike while he completed his education at Texas Tech. In 1972 they moved to Houston for Mike to attend dental school.  Linda was employed at the Department of Housing and Urban Development as an executive secretary and could type 100 words per minute – a feat for which she was proud.  Later she worked at The Offshore Company (her favorite workplace) and took classes at Houston Community College. 

Mike and Linda’s firstborn, daughter Mikala, was born in Houston, and Linda joyfully became a full-time mother.  After Mike completed his orthodontics residency and Masters in 1978, they moved to Lubbock where Linda helped set up the orthodontics office and son, Derek, was born.  In 1980 the family moved to Odessa, which they saw as the land of opportunity, and Linda was the main support in all things at Reznik Orthodontics.  The practice eventually grew to include the surrounding towns of Andrews, Big Spring, and Midland.  

But it was not all work and no play.  Linda enjoyed skiing in the New Mexico mountains, snorkeling in the Caribbean, and was the consummate traveler.  She was able to visit Israel, Panama Canal, Europe, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and Croatia with Mike as her favorite traveling companion. She always felt that trips allowed her to relax and have time to enjoy a good book.

Linda never met a stranger.  Her son Derek recalled that his mother would ask everyone she wanted to know better, ‘Tell me everything about yourself.’”  She really loved people! And she wanted to help them, so she became involved in the local community.  She was a board member of the Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center and Dental Wives Auxiliary. During National Dental Week, she would dress up as the Tooth Fairy and walk around the mall to encourage good dental hygiene and hand out toothbrushes and educational pamphlets. And could she walk!  She enjoyed long walks as her exercise, and many times she brought along friends or family.  Being a fast walker, it was a challenge to keep up with her long stride. 

Because of her appreciation of the beauty of God’s creation, Linda surrounded herself with art.  She took painting and drawing classes at Odessa and Midland Colleges.  However, her ultimate love was working with stained glass and creating beautiful masterpieces of color and design.  She knew how to cut glass into intricate shapes with brilliant splashes of color to catch the eye.  When asked if Linda ever entered her work in an art contest, her daughter Mikala was quick to affirm that her mom was her own “toughest critic and loved creating gifts from her heart for those who would appreciate it, whom she also loved.”  She was very generous with her works of art, gifting her artwork to family, friends, and charity fundraising, plus sharing her talent to help with the stained-glass windows at Antioch Christian Church. Her creativity showed in her interior design at home too. Over the years, she had plenty of homes to practice on – eight in Odessa and one in Midland – and took pride in decorating the Reznik Orthodontic offices.  She could fashion any house into a beautiful home or retreat where everyone was warmly welcomed.  

Linda was a vibrant, “brimming with life” woman who was determined to accomplish what she put her hand to do.   Whether as a gracious hostess, supportive friend, or hands-on aunt, she took every opportunity to create, play games (she taught many a niece or nephew how to play cards or dominos), complete jigsaw puzzles or sing out loud.  She had a beautiful voice and enjoyed singing with her siblings and cousins. 

A strong believer in the value of education, Linda saw her son Derek complete dental school and his orthodontics residency and Masters in 2007 and then her daughter, Mikala, receive a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2008. At her 60^th birthday celebration, to honor her for all her support over the years, Linda was awarded a degree of “Doctor of Family Science” by her appreciative family.

But most importantly, it was God, Jesus, and her abiding faith that were the center of Linda’s life.  She believed that “… whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,” Colossians 3:23 (NKJV).  She and Mike were long-time members of Antioch Christian Church. There she taught Sunday School and was involved in church activities such as VBS and Bible-themed plays. As one friend remembered during walks with Linda, her conversation was “God-centered, guarded by grace, and positive encouragement” for their husbands, children, and church life.  Linda loved the stories in the Bible and decorated her home with artwork depicting angels, rainbows, the Garden of Eden, or Noah’s Ark.  Before Alzheimer’s took her away, she had started a 5’x5’ painting of the animals, two by two, disembarking from Noah’s Ark.

Linda was preceded by death by her parents Travis and Ruby (Meyer) Stone, in-laws Alphonso “Al” Louis and Mignon “Mig” (Lemmons) Reznik, son-in-law Mitch Ratliff, son-in-law Billy Spruill, sister-in-law Sharon (Noah) Stone, and nephew, Chad Jameson.

Surrounded by love, Linda is survived by her soulmate and husband Michael Reznik and her two children who made her so proud: Mikala Dawn Reznik Spruill and Derek Shayne Reznik and wife Megan.  She is also survived by siblings, Connie Baccus; Steve Stone and wife, Irene “Renee;” Gary Stone and wife, Diana and in-laws, Annette Reznik; Sandy Butcher and husband David; and Partick Reznik and wife Lily.  Linda was blessed with an abundance of nieces and nephews whom she treated as her very own. The lights of her life were her six beloved grandchildren, James Major Reznik, Drake Reznik, Lincoln Reznik, Jaxton Reznik, Griffin Reznik, and Lochlyn Reznik.

Pallbearers are James Major Reznik, Drake Reznik, Lincoln Reznik, Jaxton Reznik, Shad Altman, and Matthew Stone.  Honorary Pallbearers are Calin Altman, John Patrick Evans, Luke Evans, Nathan Stone, and Tyrel Rolin Stone.

The family would like to especially thank Hospice of Odessa and Linda’s devoted caregivers, Christina, Norma, Michelle, Tope, Betty, Ceesay, and Jay.  Mother Theresa believed “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving” -- Linda’s caregivers truly put a lot of love into their giving as they cared for Linda for the past four years.

A celebration of Linda’s life will start at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Visitation on June 8^th at 3 pm to 5 pm and the Funeral Service on June 9^th at 3 pm.  A private graveside service will be held for the family on June 10^th.  Memorials can be made to Antioch Christian Church, 4040 Maple Avenue, Odessa, Texas 79762.

Family and friends will lovingly remember Linda for her notable courage, kindness, and love. As she once said, in reflecting upon her life and all the brilliant facets that merged to make it a work of art, “If I died today, I would say that, yes, I have had a full life.”