Linda Davis Reno was born in Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County on March 20, 1946. She was one of those rare people who loved her community and was involved in everything.
Reno was a retired Federal Government employee serving as the Executive Director, Office of Post Secondary Education, Department of Education in Washington, D. C. Reno loved her job of more than 40 years, but her real love was genealogy, particularly the families of St. Mary’s County.
Reno was a lifetime member of the St. Mary’s County Genealogy Society, as well as the St. Mary’s County Historical Society where she volunteered over the years.
Reno spent more than 50 years of her life creating a genealogy data base of more than 100,000 St. Mary’s County names which will be available to researchers at the St. Mary’s County Historical Society. Reno also enjoyed writing a genealogy column for the County Times newspaper.
Reno was the chair of the St. Mary’s County Historic Preservation Commission. During her tenure several book projects were undertaken. She co-authored the first book of research that proved St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department was the oldest sheriff’s department in the country, whose Sheriffs have continuously served the citizens of St. Mary’s County since 1637. Reno also co-authored a second book for the Sheriff’s Department: “America’s First – A History of America’s Oldest Continuously Operating Sheriff’s Office.”
Reno’s earlier published books include “Images of America – St. Mary’s County, Maryland” and “The Maryland 400 in the Battle of Long Island, 1776.” Reno was invited to Brooklyn, New York, each and every year to represent the Governor of Maryland and present a proclamation from the State of Maryland honoring all of her work on the Maryland 400.
Reno was a well-respected community advocate fighting tirelessly to keep Charlotte Hall a family community.
In addition to all of her community work and time with friends, Reno loved her family and friends. A member of her family always went to Brooklyn, New York for her Maryland 400 presentations and family reunions.
Reno died on November 18, 2018. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Phillip Davis and Nellie Agnes Phillips. She was also preceded in death by her husband Ronnie R. Reno, who died on February 25, 2013.
Reno is survived by her son Darryl G. Mueller of Alexandria, Virginia, daughter Dawn L. Mueller of Charlotte Hall, brother William P. Davis, Jr. of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and grand-children Justin D. Mueller, Matthew W. Dobson, Christopher M. Mueller, Nathan D. Mueller, Michael L. Mueller, Cody Schmidt. Reno is also survived by her great grand-children Violet E. Mueller, Jaxon B. Mueller, Dixie E. Mueller, Sutton J. Mueller and Braxton D. Mueller.
Family will receive friends for Linda’s Memorial Life Celebration at Brinsfield Funeral Home, 30195 Three Notch Road in Charlotte Hall on Friday, November 30, 2018 from 1pm to 1:30pm with a Service of Remembrance at 1:30pm. Interment to follow at Mt. Zion United Methodist Cemetery, Mechanicsville, MD.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Mary’s County Genealogy Society, P. O. Box 1109, Leonardtown, Maryland, 20650
