Dr. Marla Plecha, O.D.

Dr. Marla Plecha, O.D, passed away on May 11, 2021, following a brief illness. She was surrounded by close friends and family.

Dr. Plecha was born January 23, 1973 in Fallon Nevada to Dale and Kathy Mort. Following graduation from Churchill County High School she received a bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada Reno.

Marla knew at a very young age that she wanted to become an optometrist and following a brief period of working as an ophthalmic assistant at Sierra Eye Associates in Reno, she completed her O.D degree at Pacific University School of Optometry. During her time at Pacific she fell in love with her future husband, Stanley (Larry) Plecha, Jr. While she was completing an optometry rotation at Hickam AFB in Hawaii, they were married at the Manele Bay Hotel on New Year's Eve, 2000.

Following graduation from Pacific, she returned home to Reno and became an optometrist for the VA Medical Center. She immediately began trying to improve the eye care for the veterans and succeeded in creating an accredited residency program in optometry under the auspices of the University of California. She also instituted a student program for optometry students in association with several optometry schools. The many well-trained optometrists she produced are a living legacy to her dedication.

Her greatest legacy, however, are her children. Her oldest, Delaney Joanne, is now a graduate of the Davidson Academy of Nevada and heading off to college in the fall. Her youngest, Stanley Larry III, is finishing his junior year at Bishop Manogue Catholic High School. Both were her greatest sources of joy and pride.

Dr. Plecha was preceded in death by her grandparents, Marvin and Pat Weisupt of Stillwater Nevada, her father Dale Mort of Fallon, and her stillborn daughter Gina Kay Plecha. In addition to her children, she is survived by her mother Kathy Kay Mort, her brother Marvin Mort, her sisters Lisa Nolan (Marty) and Lynnaday Mort, and her beloved husband of 20 yrs., Larry.

A funeral service is planned for Saturday May 15th at 1 P.M. at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 3835 Lakeside Dr. Burial will be at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Cancer Society.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Reno Gazette Journal and Lyon County News Leader from May 12 to May 14, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for Marla O.D.

22 Entries

Jeanette Loggains

May 30, 2021

Dr.Plecha was so nice and always greeted us with a smile. She cared for my husband Billy Loggains ,(Army Veteran) when he was seen at the eye clinic at the VA. Rest in Peace Marla.

Roberta Ann Grinsell

May 18, 2021

Keeping the Plecha family in prayer during this difficult time.

Theresa

May 17, 2021

A gentle soul, a pleasure to work with, a beloved friend and professional at the Veterans Medical Center for her co-workers and veterans alike. She will be greatly missed by all.

Rob Wolff

May 15, 2021

Marla always had a smile on her face. Her demeanor was inviting and caring, and she remained kind and upbeat when I recently sought her advice. She was a wonderful mentor to her students, and the community will dearly miss her. Our sympathies go out to Larry and her family.

With love, Faith Enfield

Planted Trees

MATTHEW MILLS

May 15, 2021

Marla was a terrific person, dear friend and excellent leader in the optometry community. Over the last 15 years my wife and I have known Larry and Marla both personally and professionally. Our practice will always have a special affiliation with and appreciation for Marla as two of our optometrists are graduates of the Clinical Optometry Internship program which she oversaw at the Reno VA Medical Center. I especially appreciate and continue to benefit from the excellent training and broad clinical experience Dr. Mirbaha and Dr. Vong received under Dr. Marla Plecha’s direction and mentorship. Our family also shares a connection with the Plecha’s as we have a son who has been a contemporary of Stanley’s coming up through little league, travel baseball and eventually high school baseball. We send our deepest sympathy and condolences to Larry, the children and the entire Plecha family. Marla will be missed by so many.

Jennifer Hua

May 14, 2021

Dr. Marla Plecha was my mentor, attending, and friend during my optometry residency from 2016-2017. She made Reno feel like home with her kindness, patience and selflessness towards us residence. Even after residency, she never failed to respond to my emails and never hesitated whenever I needed her help. I am grateful to have cross paths with her and to have worked with her. I am deeply sadden to hear of her passing and will miss her.

Sharon Long

May 14, 2021

I am so shocked by the news of Dr. Marla Plecha’s passing. She was one of my preceptors when I did a rotation at the VA Eye Clinic. She used to put up weekly clinical cases for my fellow intern and I to solve. I remember bugging her every few minutes during clinic with questions to try and figure them out. She was a great mentor. She loved her interns and residents. She once showed me photos and cards of past students/residents who still kept in touch and would brag about how well they were doing in their career and in life. I used to make fun of her because she had only one framed photo in her office, which wasn’t of her dog or kids but of her and her residents. She claimed she hadn’t gotten around to putting up the family photos yet. She also always had her little retro radio tuned to country music in her office, which I loved, and sometimes I would catch her trying to listen to or get updates on Stanley’s baseball games. I got to know her and her family well during my time at the VA. I last spoke with her in October, and I wished we had conversed more. My deepest condolences to Larry, Delaney, Stanley, and the whole family. I will miss you Marla! Thank you for everything.

Jullie Ngo

May 14, 2021

Dr. Marla Plecha was a great mentor and a wonderful person. It was an honor to work with her as her optometry resident. She was passionate about patient care and I always appreciated her guidance. I was deeply saddened at the news of her passing. My condolences to you, her family. As you grieve, know that she is honored and remembered in all of our hearts.

Debra Spinetta

May 14, 2021

Marla was one of a kind. Beautiful inside and out. God sent me a wonderful friend. I met her when we were teaching children a Bible class. She was the best. I will miss her forever.

Mika Moy

May 14, 2021

I met Marla as she was setting up the residency program at Reno. She was not only an optometrist of the highest caliber, but she also dreamed big. Most people are daunted by what it takes to start a program from scratch, but Marla accomplished just that. Her residents thrived under her tutelage. I loved catching up with her at our residency case presentations where the conversation would inevitably turn to our kids who are about the same age. We will miss her dearly. Deepest condolences to her family and especially her children.

Esther Kim

May 14, 2021

It was a great pleasure and honor working with Dr. Marla Plecha as her optometry resident. She always looked out for me and my co-resident. I am grateful for her guidance and mentorship. She will be greatly missed.

Steve DeAnda, OD

May 14, 2021

I’m deeply saddened to hear of Marla’s passing. I had mentored and worked with Marla at Hickam AFB some twenty plus years ago when she was a fourth year optometry student. She was a wonderful contributor to our healthcare team in taking care of active duty members, their families and our retired military. She was tremendously conscientious, already an excellent optometrist, and most importantly was kind, respectful and caring. My heartfelt condolences to you, Marla’s family and friends. I’m writing to you as just one of a likely multitude of people who were significantly enriched by Marla’s presence in our lives.
Respectfully yours,
Steven R. DeAnda, Col, USAF, (ret) Former Chief of Optometry Services, Hickam AFB, HI

Gary Costello

May 14, 2021

Marla was my supervisor for many yrs and her dedication to her job and helping others to advance was unremarkable. She will be greatly missed. May she R.I.P.

Marie Maynick

May 14, 2021

We are so sorry to hear about the loss of Marla. I worked with Marla for many years at the VAMC. The Reno VAMC was so blessed to have such an excellent Optometrist as Dr. Marla Plecha. Additionally my husband and I along with Larry and Marla spent many days/evenings cheering our sons on while they played baseball a game we all enjoyed watching.

Our Deepest Sympathy to Larry, their children and family.
With our Love and Prayers, The Maynick Family

Charlotte Wang

May 14, 2021

I am very sad about Dr. Marla Plecha's passing. I was her student when I rotated at Reno VA in Jan-March 2019. She was a great mentor and friend. I had such an amazing experience with her and other VA colleagues during my externship at Reno. She always told me she wished to keep me as a resident optometrist there. But due to my non-citizenship status, I was not able to do my residency at a VA.

After I started my optometry residency at UC Berkeley, I met Dr. Plecha a few times during our residency presentations. She always gave me words of encouragement and we talked about meeting again in Reno when the residency talk was planned to be held there in September 2020. When the pandemic hit, all the presentations became online and I never had the chance to visit her in Reno.

I am so thankful to have known her and worked with her. She will be greatly missed.

Marlena Chu

May 14, 2021

I am so very saddened to hear of Marla's passing. I knew Marla through the optometry residency program as another residency mentor, and I always looked forward to catching up with her at our tri-annual meetings. Her genuine thoughtfulness came through in all our interactions -- in our last zoom meeting, she direct messaged me to check in as she remembered how unwell my father had been. I am so thankful to have worked with her, and send my deepest condolences to her family, her optometry students, and her residents.

Geoffrey F. Chiara, O.D.

May 13, 2021

As the Chief of Optometry, Dr. Plecha was my colleague and counterpart at the VA Medical Center in Reno. She was dedicated to the eye care of veterans in Northern Nevada and played a significant role in the training of senior optometry interns and post-graduate residents. On behalf of my staff in the Optometry Service at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System in Las Vegas, we offer of sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Plecha family and the staff in Eye Clinic at the VA Medical Center in Reno.

Nevada Optometric Association

May 13, 2021

Dr. Marla Plecha had a great impact on the optometric community, having trained many fellow optometrists. She had a great disposition and outlook with both colleagues and patients. Our thoughts are with Larry and her children during this most difficult time.

Cindi and Jon Edmondo

May 13, 2021

In loving memory of a wonderful friend. Marla, We will miss your kind spirit and loving heart.

Marcia Morcom

May 13, 2021

I knew Marla thru BSF . She will be greatly missed .
Marcia Morcom

Jennifer Shane

May 13, 2021

The optometry/ophthalmology community is small. I never knew Marla personally but I had the pleasure of meeting her son Stanley who is friends with my son Gavin. We wanted to send our heart felt condolences to Larry, the kids, and all of Marla's family. You will all be in our thoughts and prayers.

Jennifer Shane

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