Robert Hunter Owens

Robert Hunter Owens

Robert Hunter Owens, 90, passed away on February 28, 2012, in his home in Lynchburg. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1921, the son of Baker Leroy Owens and Lillian Johnston Owens. He was predeceased by his brother, Baker L. Owens Jr. and his wife, Dorothy Hedden Owens. He received his B.S. degree in Naval Architecture at the Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, 1944, his M.A. in mathematics from Columbia University, 1948, and his Ph.D. in mathematics from California Institute of Technology, 1952. He served in the United States Navy from 1944 until 1946. He retired from the United States Naval Reserve in 1964 as Lieutenant Commander.

He served as Instructor of Mathematics at Stevens Institute of Technology; Teaching Assistant at California Institute of Technology; Research Associate at the Division of Applied Mathematics at Brown University; Physical Science Coordinator at the Office of Naval Research; Assistant and Associate Professor of Mathematics and Director of Computer Center at the University of New Hampshire; Acting Head of Mathematical Science Section at the National Science Foundation; Professor and Chairman of the Department Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia; Liaison Scientist of the Office of Naval Research in London, England. He published numerous research papers. He is survived by his wife, Harriett Clausen Owens; his four children, Robert Hunter Owens Jr., Laura Lucille Owens, David Johnston Owens and John Martin Owens; and his five grandchildren, Rokuco Lucian Pierce, Kieran Samuel Owens, Elke Genevieve Madeleine Owens, Hanna Katherine Owens and Cosmos Tobias Tremblay Owens. A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 2012, at the Summit, 1400 Enterprise Drive, Lynchburg, Virginia.

Memorial gifts may be made to the charities of your choice. Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory, of Lynchburg, is assisting the family, 434- 237-9424.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.