Robert Roy Owen

Owen, Robert Roy 89, (one month shy of his 90th birthday), long time resident of Evergreen, CO passed away peacefully July 17, 2011 in his Evergreen home. A 1942 graduate of University of California at Berkeley, his engineering degree took him to a job in Hawaii, immediately after the war where he worked for Dole mechanizing the pineapple industry. While there he was instrumental in the invention of the pineapple harvester. He moved to Delaware for a brief stint with DuPont Chemicals before returning to Hawaii and the Pineapple Research Institute. Ford Motor Company recognized his exceptional engineering skills and hired him to come to work in their Tractor & Implement Division in Michigan. His work with Ford took him to Europe where he set up factories and worked to improve postwar manufacturing, and to Australia. He left Ford in 1968 to head up Great Western Sugar Company in Denver. When the beet growers of Great Western Sugar formed the Beet Producers Cooperative they tapped Owen to head their group. Later he became part owner of Eversman Manufacturing based in Denver After he retired his expertise was sought after by the World Bank to aid the Ivory Coast and China in the modernization of their agribusinesses. He was a member of Alpha Zeta Fraternity, Tau Beta Pi and was awarded the University of California Centennial Citation for his contributions to the agricultural industry. He is a 65 year member to ASABE. In addition to his achievements as a corporate leader he held numerous patents for various pieces of machinery used in agriculture. He served in the regular US Army during World War II and continued in the Army Reserves attaining the rank of Brigadier General. He retired from military service in 1972, but his strategies continued to be taught at West Point and the War College. He was a member of the Reserve Officers Association and Scabbard & Blade. Throughout his life Owen dedicated time to aid his community. He was honored with the Silver Flame Award As volunteer of the Year for Colorado in 1996, recognizing his math tutoring to adults studying to get their GED through the Adult Learning Source's Family Literacy Program. He was heralded for his contributions of time and energy to make the parks of the area accessible to everyone for Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. He volunteered or served on Boards of Directors for groups throughout our area including Colorado Philharmonic and Friends of the Center for Human Nutrition. He had a great love for the beauty that is Colorado and worked hard to preserve it for future generations. He and his late wife Barbara were the first to place their Upper Bear Creek property under the Mountain Area Land Trust thus guaranteeing that it would not be subdivided ever in the future. They also donated a portion of the ranch to Open Space to allow hikers access to the spectacular view of Mt Evans from the top of Jenkins Peak. Earlier he served on the Board of POME (Protect Our Mountain Environment) that was formed to block the use of the area for the 1976 Winter Olympics. He was a past President of the Upper Bear Creek Home Owners Association. He is survived by Jennifer (Ricky) Rutherford of Evergreen, Rebecca Owen of Portland, OR, Tina (Bruce) Fairbanks of San Francisco and Dallas, Claudia (Clay) Alderson of Alaska, and Melinne Owen (Paul Giguere) of Santa Fe, NM, Grandchildren Robert, Christopher and Sarah Rutherford and beloved dog Pretzel. Memorial Gifts may be made to Mt Evans Hospice, 3081 Bergen Peak Dr., Evergreen, CO 80439. To convey condolences to the family go to www.EvergreenMemorialPark.com. Arrangements by Evergreen Mortuary 303.674.7750.