Obituaries

Nicholas Wolfrom Reznick
1959-2013

Friday January 25, 2013 - 09:13:00 AM
Nick
Nick

Nick Reznick lived an amazing life of love, laughter and adventure. While exploring the beauty of the canyon country that he enjoyed so much, Nick was lost in a small aircraft accident near the town of Escalante, UT. A resident of Escalante, and formerly of Flagstaff, AZ, he was a well known farmer, river runner, horseman and outdoor enthusiast. 

Nick’s parents were co-founders of Arizona River Runners, now the largest river-rafting company in Grand Canyon. He spent his younger years exploring the rivers and byways of the American West with his family, fostering a passion for river rafting that spanned his entire life. A thousand stories and a million laughs will be recounted of Nick’s exploits and antics. His sense of humor and his generosity and willingness to help others endeared him to countless friends. Nick could fix just about anything. As one local farmer said, “Losing Nick is like losing a third and fourth hand.” If it was stuck, he could unstick it. If it was broken, he could usually fix it.  

After being raised in Southern California by parents Barbara and Nick Sr., Nick moved to Flagstaff and teamed with his brother Peter in real estate development. In 1984 he pursued a degree in business management from the San Jose State University, and then returned to Flagstaff, joining with his brother in refurbishing an old dairy building, acquiring Mountain Dell Water, Inc., and building University Terrace Subdivision. Nick became a skilled backhoe operator and was handy with tools. He also worked as a commercial river guide and location scout for the film industry. 

In 2005, Nick and his wife Melanie moved to Escalante after purchasing the Fire Rock Farm. At the farm he grew certified weed-free horse hay, fruits, berries, and vegetables…especially asparagus. Nick was an avid horseman roaming the countryside astride his beloved horse, Rooster. He was also a successful beekeeper and was the go-to man whenever a renegade swarm was on the loose. An accomplished heavy equipment operator, Nick could often be found helping his neighbors excavate a foundation or dig a ditch. As the secretary of the Pine Creek Irrigation Company he was well known to the farmers in the Escalante area.  

Nick is survived by his wife Melanie, brothers Peter (Zaira), Flagstaff, AZ, and Greg (Olga), Berkeley, CA; sister Neva, Seattle, WA; brother-in-law Blake, Dallas, TX, and 10 nieces and nephews. Nick will be remembered as everybody’s favorite uncle, even to the children of his many friends. A celebration of his life is planned in the spring and will be announced at a later date. 

In honor of Nick’s memory, please perform a random act of kindness, lend a hand to your neighbor and put a smile on someone’s face.