Kenton L. Chambers

Kenton L. Chambers was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 27, 1929, and he died on May 22, 2024, at Good Samaritan Regional Hospital in Corvallis after a brief illness at the age of 94.

Kenton Chambers

Ken graduated from Whittier College and received his Ph.D. from Stanford University. He joined the faculty in the Department of Botany at Yale University and met his future wife, Henrietta Laing, there. They were married in June 1958. Their daughter Elaine was born in New Haven in 1960, and son David was born in 1961 in Corvallis.

In 1960, Ken accepted a position in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State College, retiring from OSU in 1991. He co-authored "Rare, Threatened and Endangered Vascular Plants in Oregon," and published over 200 peer-reviewed papers. He served in board positions with The Native Plant Society of Oregon and the Oregon Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. In 1989, he received the OSU Alumni Distinguished Professor Award and a Certificate of Merit from the Botanical Society of America. In 1991 he was elected a Fellow to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and in 2006, a Botanical Society of America Centennial Award for exemplary service to Plant Science.

In 1971, Ken and Henny purchased property in Camp Sherman, and in 1974, under Ken's "management and supervision" the family built a log cabin from a pre-fab kit. The cabin has been a touchstone for 50 years; from routine weekend drives up from the Valley to celebrating milestones to hosting visitors from near and far. The Metolius Basin is now being enjoyed by the fourth generation of Ken's family.

He is survived by his wife Henrietta, daughter Elaine Rea (Bill), son David, four grandchildren: Brian Chambers (Jenny Metcalf), Melanie Chambers (Jeremy Laughton), Hayley Rea Sherman (Aaron), and Holly Rea, and three great-grandchildren. The family will gather in Camp Sherman in 2025. Memorial donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy or the OSU Foundation.