Leo Reno

Farm boy stayed close to his roots A move to the West Coast didn't erase his Oklahoma heritage. Paul Reno never forgot his Oklahoma roots while making a life for himself in California. A native of rural Delaware County, Reno became a respected authority in growing dahlias and restoring vintage farm equipment. Courtesy Paul Reno never forgot his Oklahoma roots while making a life for himself in California. A native of rural Delaware County, Reno became a respected authority in growing dahlias and restoring vintage farm equipment. Courtesy By TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer Whether showing his prize-winning dahlias, restoring a steam-powered tractor or demonstrating a horse-drawn plow, the common denominator for Paul Reno was dirt. A native of rural Delaware County near Ketchum, Reno's dream growing up had been to farm his family's homestead. Although fortune led him instead to the West Coast, he didn't give up the idea. He stayed close to the soil in spirit by cultivating a few successful sidelines. A respected authority on dahlias and antique farm equipment, Leo Paul Reno died Sept. 26 in Oakland, Calif. He was 88. A graveside service is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Ketchum Cemetery under the direction of Worley-Luginbuel Funeral Home of Grove. Although he did embrace West Coast life, Paul Reno never lost his trademark Oklahoma accent, said his nephew, Harley Reno. "It endeared him to everyone he met," he said, adding that his uncle's magnetic personality always left an impression. It was after World War II, during which Reno served with an Army bomber ground crew based in England, that he went to California. What he thought would be a temporary stay with family in Oakland turned into 65 years. After establishing himself with a company as a hydraulic mechanic, Reno moved into a house in Oakland and soon began growing flowers in his backyard. Over the next 35 years, he and his flowers, especially his dahlias, would be spotlighted in flower magazines and newspapers throughout California as Reno amassed thousands of ribbons in shows and competitions. Reno later had more than 1,700 of his ribbons sewn into a quilt that has become an attraction at fairs and quilt shows in California and other states, where it has won a few blue ribbons of its own. Reno's mechanical skills and his affection for old-school farm implements eventually led him to begin restoring them. He and some buddies restored a 19-ton, 1905 Best steam tractor for the city of Oakland museum; it remains one of only two known functional steam tractors of its kind in existence. For his work on that and other steam- and gasoline-engine machines, Reno was named to the Early Day Gasoline Engine & Tractor Association's Hall of Fame. From there, he got into old mule- and horse-drawn farm machinery. Many of his restored pieces are on display at farming museums and other organizations in California. The virtues that were always on display in Reno's person, though, are what his friends and relatives will remember most, his nephew said. An encouragement to everyone who knew him, Reno "nourished in each person those qualities requisite to good citizenship. A long time will pass before there is another person like him," Harley Reno said. The eighth of 11 children, Reno is the last surviving sibling. He is survived by many cousins, nephews and nieces. Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/ourlives/article.aspx?subjectid=58&articleid=20101001_11_A18_CUTLIN607503

Service Details

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 10:00am, Graveside

Interment Details

Ketchum Cemetery