Benjamin "Benny" Reyna

December 19, 1931 - February 11, 2017

Benjamin “Benny’ Reyna, aka “Big Ben”, originally from Magnolia Park, the Flower of the Houston East End, passed away after a long illness at his home in West Sacramento, CA on Feb. 11, 2017. Born in Mission, Texas on December 19, 1931, Ben leaves behind a lone surviving sister, Evangeline (Oscar) Salinas of Houston, a step brother, Ramon Reyna of W. Sacramento and four adult children in the Houston area: Sonya Reyna, Melinda (Kurt) Reyna-Lovelace, Michael (Diane) Reyna and Mark (Cynthia) Reyna. Ben’s grandkids are: Erica (Robert) Young, Jacob Reyna, Mark Aaron Reyna Jr., Erik (Jensen) Reyna, Meco Reyna and Zoe Lovelace. Ben was blessed with one great grandchild in his lifetime, Mason Reyna- to carry on his name. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Ben’s remains were cremated in California per his request but a memorial service for his ashes will be held here in Houston for friends and family on April 29, 2017 from 5-9 pm with an eulogy given at 7pm for friends and family. Ben loved witnessing to others about his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and was a preacher early in his life for a number of years, preaching in Spanish to churches on the East End. He was also a regular independent witness of the Lord in the streets of Oakland and San Francisco before his health prevented him from continuing on in person. He loved his citrus trees and was a skilled gardener. We will always cherish the fond memories of the fruits and vegetables he grew in our backyard while we were growing up here in Houston. He loved playing his trumpet in praising his Lord through music and our home was filled with the sounds of trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, accordions and the piano during our childhood and adolescent years. A local graduate of Sam Houston HS, he served in the Texas National Guard during the Korean War, and spent 36 years with the Southern Pacific Railroad here in Houston and out in California as a freight car repairman and a Union Steward before retiring from service. A loving father who worked hard to support and care for his family, he will be missed dearly, but the memories of his laughter, his smile and his unique mannerisms, will always be treasures that will assuage our pain and comfort our souls. A special deep recognition is reserved for Ramon Reyna, who faithfully cared for our father during his last few years even after recently losing his own mother, our grandmother, Cecilia Reyna. Please join us in person for this final tribute to our beloved father. 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 NIV 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.