Dr. George Aubrey ZENTMYER, Jr.

1913 - 2003  (89 years)

• Name	George Aubrey ZENTMYER
  Prefix	Dr.
  Suffix	Jr.
  Born	9 Aug 1913	North Platte, Lincoln, Nebraska
  Gender	Male
  Died	8 Feb 2003	Palo Alto, Santa Clara, California
  Buried	Olivewood Cemetery, Riverside Co., CA, SW cor. Section W-2
  Person ID	I176	Zentmeyer Main Tree
  Last Modified	29 May 2020

  
  

• Notes

  George migrated from Nebraska to Los Angeles with his parents and older brother John in 1918. He earned BA and MS degrees from UCLA, and later a PhD in Plant Pathology from UC Berkeley in 1838. After short stints at the Division of Forest Pathology at the USDA in San Francisco and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at New Haven, Connecticut, where he also met and married his wife Dorothy, George settled into what would be a life-long tenure at the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of California, Riverside in 1944. He is best known for his work researching and developing avocado root stocks which proved resistant to root rot caused by the water mold Phytophthora Cinnamomi, which threatened the avocado industry in California and around the world. He was a sportsman, active in community affairs, and was widely honored professionally.

  
  

Father	George Aubrey ZENTMYER,   b. 2 May 1880, Schuyler, Colfax, Nebraska ,   d. 17 Jan 1968, Riverside, Riverside, California  (Age 87 years)
Mother	Mary Elizabeth STRAHORN,   b. 22 Dec 1885, Sterling, Logan, Colorado ,   d. 12 May 1973, Riverside, Riverside, California  (Age 87 years)
Married	28 Apr 1910	North Platte, Nebraska
Family ID	F365	Group Sheet




Family	Dorothy Anne DUDLEY,   b. 11 Jan 1912, Charleston, Coles, Illinois ,   d. 5 Nov 2008, Belmont, San Mateo, California  (Age 96 years)
Married	24 May 1941	New Haven, Connecticut
Children	1. Elizabeth Anne ZENTMYER   2. Jane Dudley ZENTMYER   3. Susan Dudley ZENTMYER
Last Modified	19 Jun 2019
Family ID	F115	Group Sheet




• Photos » Slide Show		Los Angeles Times 17 Nov 1918 featuring the George and Mary Zentmyer and sons John and George Jr. From the Zentmyer Collection, Mary holding George Jr., John walking between Mary and George. They were not identified in the article. They were likely returning to their temporary residence at the home of Mary's aunt, Alfaretta (Retta) Strahorn Scott, and her husband Waldo.
  		Zentmyers and Strahorns on the porch, 1920 From the Zentmyer Collection. Likely at the Strahorn's house at 521 W. 27th Street, Los Angeles. From left - John Zentmyer, his mother Mary, Sarah and John Calvin Strahorn, George Zentmyer, and John's brother George Jr. This image was colorized from black and white photo using the AI program DeOldify. A pretty good result.
  		George Zentmyer family house in Las Vegas in 1923 From the Zentmyer Collection. Photo taken by his son John Zentmyer age 11, with his Brownie Camera.
  		Pack Trip, Eastern Sierra, 1933 From the Zentmyer Collection. Family lore says George took his sons John and George Jr. on a pack trip in the Eastern Sierras after their High School graduations. This image is consistent with this story, and shows John and his father George, with George Jr. being the likely photographer. This is probably the start of the trip, as there are corrals and gear visible.
  		George Zentmyer in South America George traveled widely in his research to isolate Phytophthora Cinnamomi as the cause of the decline of the avocado industry in California, and to develop new avocado strains which were resistant to it.
  		Article published upon George Zentmyer's election to the National Academy of Sciences
  		George Zentmyer, a late career image
  		Entrance to Olivewood Cemetery Olivewood is located at 3300 Central Ave, Riverside, CA 92506
  		Location of grave markers in Olivewood Cemetery About two hundred feet from the easternmost border of the southern half of the cemetery Image courtesy Gary Zentmyer
  		Headstone for George A. Zentmyer Sr., also his son George Jr. Located in the Olivewood Cemetery, Riverside, Riverside, California. The symbol suggests George was a Freemason, we have inquired of the local chapter as to George's membership. George's Jr's ashes were buried in the same plot as his father. Image courtesy Gary Zentmyer