Oct. 31, 2008

The Arizona State family passes along its sympathy to the family of former ASU team physician Dr. Joseph H. Reno, who passed away at the age of 93 on Wednesday, October 29.

Dr. Reno was ASU's team physician for seven years in the 1970's, and he is recognized as one of the pioneers in the sports medicine field as one of the first orthopedic surgeons to specialize in sports medicine. He also served as team physician for Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., for 31 years and at Northern Arizona University for five years.

He attended Central Boys High School, Temple University, and Temple Medical School, in Philadelphia, Pa. He did his residency in orthopedics at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, Texas. He practiced medicine first in Bethlehem, Pa., for 23 years and then in Flagstaff, Ariz., from 1971 until his retirement. He established the first practice in Orthopedic Medicine in Northern Arizona. He was nationally known for his early innovations in hip surgery techniques, and he volunteered many hours working with the Easter Seals Children's Clinics in the aftermath of the polio epidemics of the 1950's.

Dr. Reno was born March 5, 1915, in Allentown, Pa. His wife of 63 years, Maude Olivia Reno died previously in May of 2005. He is survived by two sisters, Gertrude Petzel, (Henry) of Bethlehem, Pa., and Marian McGinnis (Walt) of Dallas, Texas, and one sister-in-law, Bonnie Reno of Phoenix, Ariz. A brother, Harvey Reno, died previously. Dr. Reno is also survived by his four children, Sally Jo Elliott (Hal) of Austin, Texas, J. David Reno (Anna) of Boston, Mass., Diana J. Farber-Reno (Warren) of Peterborough, N.H., and Deborah M. Reno (John) of Albuquerque, N.M., plus five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be Saturday, November 1 at 5 p.m. at the Norvel Owens Mortuary, 914 E. Route 66, in Flagstaff. Condolences can be sent to his family at www.norvelowensmortuary.com.