Gerald Ownbey

Memorial service for Gerald B. Ownbey, age 93, of Afton will be Friday, 11:00 A.M. at ST. CROIX VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 16600 - 7th Street South, Lakeland. Visitation one hour prior to the service.





Gerald passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 26, 2010. Born on October 10, 1916 in Kirksville, Missouri, he moved shortly thereafter to Hewlett, WY. He earned his B.A. in 1939 and M.A. in 1940 from the University of Wyoming; his Ph.D. was awarded in 1947 from Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri). Dr. Ownbey joined the faculty in the University of Minnesota's department of botany in 1947; he was awarded to Guggenheim fellowship in 1953 and promoted to full professor in 1956 serving as the chair of the department (1960-1962). In 1947 he was named as curator of the herbarium and he held this position until he retired in 1986. During that time he oversaw the growth of the collection from 390,000 plants to 750,000. Dr. Ownbey was considered an expert on Minnesota flora and plant taxonomy.





Preceded in death by wife, Doris in 2008 and 1st wife, Marian in 1963; brothers, Marion, William and Roscoe; sisters, Oliva Powell and Helen Vest. He will be sadly missed by son, Bruce (Julie); grandchildren, Peter & Violet; sisters, Dorothy Anderson & Martha Nichols; special niece, Melita Holland; as well as numerous other nieces and nephews.





Memorials are preferred to the U of M Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318 or online at www.arboretum.umn.edu/giftcategories.aspx or the National Wildlife Federation, 11100 Wildlife Ctr., Reston, VA 20190.