Jack M. Crowner

CROWNER, JACK M., 81, of Louisville, passed away February 27, 2014.

Jack was a veteran of over 60 years in Farm Broadcasting. He owned and operated the Farm Service Radio Network, serving radio stations in Kentucky, Indiana, and nearby states providing farm news and information daily over local rural radio stations that provide necessary farm and market information to their listeners.

Jack served as Farm Director for WAVE radio and TV stations in Louisville, WMT stations in Cedar Rapids, IA, and television stations in Evansville, IN, and Lexington, KY for over 30 years. He also served as the Executive Secretary of the Kentucky Beef Cattle Association from 1977 to 1981. He also served as Senior Farm Director for WHAS-Radio and for the Kentucky News Network.

Jack was raised on a dairy and hog farm in DeWitt, Michigan and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1955 with a degree in Broadcasting. Jack was an early participant in the International Farm Youth Exchange, living and working on farms in New Zealand during 1953 and 1954. It was during this journey that he met his future wife Sue.

After college, he received a U.S. Air Force commission and served on active duty in the Alaskan territory. His first daughter Brenda was born while they were stationed at Elmendorf AFB. Jack retired as a Lt. Colonel after 26 years in the Air Force Reserve, and had served as President of the National Guard Association of Kentucky. In 1970, Jack served as President of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), and in 1990 was named National Farm Broadcaster of the Year. In 2004, Jack was inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame in Kansas City. He is a four-time winner of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Communications Award and, in 2008 was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame.

In 1985, Jack returned to New Zealand and Australia for a current look at farming overseas, and in 1986, he was invited to travel to Russia with the first team of farm journalists to visit many of the farming regions and see Russian farming first-hand.

He has also toured farming areas in Japan, Brazil and Argentina with farmers, and in 1990, he returned to Russia with another group of farmers and journalists to examine the changes in Russian agriculture after the fall of Communism.

Jack served as announcer for the National Farm Machinery Show, Kentucky State Fair, North American International Livestock Expo and for over 30 years served as the auctioneer of the Grand Champion country ham at the Kentucky State Fair. Jack served for 20 years as a Director for Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company. He also served as the Public Director of Farm Credit Services of Mid-America, including the states of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Jack was a life-long sportsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing, both in his native Michigan and in Kentucky. His travels for work and play took him to more than a dozen countries and most of the 50 states. Like his father, Jack was a Mason and a lifetime member of the Valley Masonic Lodge 511.

He is survived by his wife, Sue Crowner; daughters, Brenda Crowner Burchett (Dale) and Linda Crowner Byers (Tim); son, Mark Crowner (Vicki); brother, Bob Crowner (Una); grandchildren, Christine Burchett Butler, Daniel Byers, Jacklin Byers, John Crowner, and Anne Crowner.

His funeral service will be 12 p.m. Thursday at the Heady-Hardy Funeral Home, 7710 Dixie Hwy, with interment to follow in Bethany Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Wednesday from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. and after 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The family would like to acknowledge the care and compassion provided by the doctors, nurses, and staff of Jewish and Kindred Hospitals. For more information please visit us at www.headyhardy.com