US Marine Veteran Larry Owen spent his early years growing up on the US Military Base in Germany. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps where he studied Field Radio Operations. Following his service, Owen attended Northern Kentucky University, graduating magna cum laude and earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education. He is now a retired teacher from Covington Independent Schools, a Deacon at First Baptist Church of Elsmere, and a former volunteer in the Erlanger-Elsmere school district.

 

Owen is the first African American elected as a Supervisor of the Kenton County Soil Water Conservation District Board. He met his wife, Councilwoman Serena Owen, who is the first African American woman elected to the Elsmere City Council, at NKU. They married on NKU’s campus on their graduation day and have been together for more than 30 years. They received NKU’s 2012 Alumni Distinguished Service Award and were named NKU’s 2013 Parents of the Year.

 

Larry Owen is also the proud son-in-law of Erlanger Councilwoman Renee Wilson, the first African American elected to our Erlanger City Council. As a Commonwealth Ambassador, Owen has served for over 30 years as an educator, mentor, activist, and advocate for clean water, land, and air. He has experience working on his family’s farm, participating in science fairs, community gardens, cleanups, land restoration, and distributing food from local farmers to help feed more than 500 people and families each month. As a thank you for your many years of service to our Commonwealth and NKY communities, US Marine Veteran Larry Owen, we salute you!

 

 

Mr. Owen’s honor banner will be on display in Erlanger from May through September in 2025, 2026 and 2027.