DR. TONY STRETESKY

DR. TONY STRETESKY 1939-2025 A remarkable life. Dr. Tony Stretesky was born on the family dairy farm in the winter of 1939, near Tipton, Oklahoma. He lived a full life & died peacefully in Dallas, Texas with his wife and daughter by his side at 86 years old. Tony was the third of four children to Frank and Rosie Stretesky, first generation Czechs in America. As a young man, he raised pigs, and showed calves at the fair. He was high-achieving in Future Farmers of America (FFA), leaving little time for sports or anything else. He was a routine Award-winner in FFA and State Competitions. Further, his family was well-known for their wheat and cotton awards, while running The Stretesky Dairy in southwest Oklahoma. Tony gained his work ethic on the farm and learned at an early age he wanted to be a white collar guy. This led him to college in 1957, first to Cameron Junior College in Lawton, then transferring to The University of Oklahoma in 1959 where he earned a BS in Engineering Physics and Masters in Electrical Engineering the following year. Before transferring to OU, he became a serious couple with Jeannie, who he met at Tipton Junior High, when he was in 7th Grade, and later married on September 3rd, 1961, celebrating their 64th Wedding Anniversary just two months before his passing. Tony's first job led the newlyweds to Dallas for LTV (Ling-Temco-Vought), as an aerospace engineer, where they stayed briefly. One day, Tony a friend at the pool, who was working for NASA. The friendship led to Tony helping his friend solve a rocket launch problem, which led to an immediate new contract job offer with NASA, based at Langley Air Force base in Virginia. He was active in his career that depicted Langley in the historical film "Hidden Figures." Tony said, "Those ladies were real smart, but the bathrooms were not segregated." At Langley, Tony was responsible for keeping the experiments linked together as the nose cone of the rocket re-entered earth's atmosphere. He and Jeannie witnessed many launches, their returns and orbits around our solar system, together. After many years as a rocket scientist in his first career, Tony gained interest in his friend's career as a dentist. He grew tired of his ideas being accredited to supervisors, and felt the space program lacked longevity, so he started night school to achieve basic requirements to apply to dental school. After 2 years of night school, he applied and began full-time at The Medical College of Virginia while Jeannie worked for the U.S. Government charged with administrative duties. Interestingly, she had full Security Clearance, and was entrusted with sensitive U.S. documents. In 1976, he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery, and continued his education to become an expert in Orthodontics gaining a specialty degree the next year, a two-year program in present day. To start his new career in Orthodontics, Tony & Jeannie decided to return to their Oklahoma roots and open a practice serving the Ardmore community beginning in 1978. They took out loans, bought equipment, rented office space and got on-the-job-training of becoming small business owners. They employed 4-6 people growing the practice and built their life in Ardmore for nearly 45 years. In Virginia they had their first born, Susan, & later Kelli was born in Ardmore. During Tony's evolution as an orthodontist, he used his precision engineering skills measuring torque, angles and more on a light board by hand, ending his career as a specialist modifying the computer-generated Invisalign. All throughout his career, he volunteered to teach Orthodontics at The University of Oklahoma's Health Sciences Center, ultimately ending his career as a tenured Professor, beloved by his students, of 42 years. During his parallel time in private practice, he traveled to Pauls Valley with his Staff to serve their community as an adjunct practice. He regularly attended national and international conferences where he often spoke and was recognized for his expertise in temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) problems, as well as interesting and challenging case presentations. He was respected by his contemporaries, as a Board Certified Orthodontist, and Board Certified in Pain management. He was a member of many professional organizations including The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), Southwest Society, and Texas Tweed Society, an elite group of orthodontists where collaboration occurred on the most difficult cases in clinical practices. Tony was respected for his creativity in designing custom appliances to resolve clinical problems, which were replicated by peers, presented at national conferences and acknowledged by the head faculty at OU HSC. He built an incredible team and office culture with his late office manager, Teresa Pelton, whose legacy lived on through Stretesky Orthodontics with a loyal staff who celebrated "Dr. T's" 85th Birthday in Dallas, TX. Tony loved his Staff and patients and his work so much, he did not retire until he was nearly 82 years old! Once retired, he and Jeannie unexpectedly moved to Dallas to rehab her traumatic injury, and ultimately spent much time with their daughter Susan and her late husband, Jake Williams, in Dallas, during Tony's final years. On his 64th Wedding Anniversary, he went to the Frontiers for Flight Museum with Jeannie, where he climbed the steps to his Shuttle, and flashed his famous Stretesky Smile. He will be remembered for the many smiles and lives he changed. His friends and family will remember him often as the quietest, but brightest mind in the room. He loved his profession as an orthodontist and felt he could truly transform their lives with a smile. Tony was a living legacy to those who knew him best. He was a loyal, loving and affectionate husband to his wife, and to his daughters was a kind, compassionate mentor about the ways of the world. While work was his hobby, he has some of his best memories with his closest friends skiing the mountains of Colorado. He will be remembered and it will be hard to forget his purpose-driven life. Dr. Stretesky is survived by his wife, Jeannie, daughter, Susan Stretesky Williams of Dallas, TX, daughter, Kelli Stretesky of Champagne, IL and sister-in-law, Judy Pecinovsky of Tulsa, OK. Dr. Stretesky's burial will precede his service. His memorial and celebration of life will be at 2 o'clock on Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 at First Methodist Church across from Central Park in Ardmore, OK, with David Daniels officiating, and reception to follow.