CEHD community mourns passing of Irene Ott

Irene M. Ott (MS ’68), a 2014 recipient of the CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award, and founder of the Irene M. Ott International Fellowship in Family Social Science, passed away on March 26, 2026. She was 94 years old. 

Described by her family as a career trailblazer, adventurous baker, master quilter, world traveler, and dedicated philanthropist, Irene Ott died peacefully in her home in Arden Hills, MN. 

Born on May 26, 1931, to J Cyrus and Gladys Marie (Horning) Ott in Albert Lea, MN, Irene began her incredibly fulfilling life as a small-town girl alongside her sister, Fern, in their family home. Her early involvement and 10-year participation in 4-H planted the seed and laid a firm foundation for her future. From State Fair sheep blocking demonstrations to building items alongside her father to learning the tenets of club leadership, Irene took her 4-H skills into the University of Minnesota, College of Home Economics, in 1949, receiving her B.S. in Home Economics in 1954. Ott worked as a McLeod County Home Economist, a period she called "the best ten years of my life, so far." She spoke with love and humor and pride of the students and colleagues she worked with during this time, laughing through mishaps and recalling the barely-controlled-chaos of all the moving parts coming together to produce great results and success for all involved.

In 1965, she returned to the University of Minnesota, completed her master's degree in Family Economics and Educational Psychology, and moved to Flint, Michigan as a county Home Economist to gain career experience. In this position, Ott broke gender barriers as she was offered increasingly skilled leadership positions. In 1972, she became the first female Michigan State Program Leader, supervising all agriculture, horticulture, and home economics agents in an 11-county region. During this pivotal time in history and as Equal Opportunity laws were created, Ott helped guide the programs to be more inclusive and available to all people, in all areas, of all needs.

In 1980, Ott returned to Minnesota and became the Program Leader of Home Economics with the University of Minnesota Extension Service, becoming the Acting Director of Extension Home Economics Programs two years later and enjoying professorship two years after that, rounding out her illustrious professional career.

"Irene was a pioneer in University of Minnesota Extension, blazing the trail for many women-identifying leaders, including me, who she taught and mentored with her calm, steady wisdom," says Catherine Solheim, professor and director of graduate studies in FSoS. "I will miss our recent chats over lunch when she always asked about my work, my travels, and our international Family Social Science graduate students who she supported with her Irene Ott International Fund in the University of Minnesota Foundation."

According to a CEHD Connect story in 2024, Ott’s University and professional affiliations introduced her to students from all over the world. She noticed international students often needed additional financial assistance to go to professional conferences, hire writing tutors, and other needs. Taking advantage of a matching program, she established the Irene M. Ott International Fellowship in Family Social Science in 2007.

“Travel is the best education you can get, and I wanted to support graduate students who are coming to Minnesota from their home country,” she said in establishing the fellowship.

"As an international student, I was fortunate to receive her fellowship, and I truly appreciated her generosity," says Pubudu Senaratne, a PhD student. "I also remember her warm smile and genuine curiosity about my research when I met her in person. She made a lasting impression."

At 55, Ott embraced retirement with the same fervor she brought to work. She travelled extensively, and these experiences - the people she met, the cultures she experienced, and the hardships she knew could be remedied - coupled with her education, drove her lifelong philanthropy. 

Her generosity enabled underprivileged children in Guatemala to graduate high school through Common Hope, a St. Paul-based non-profit, and supported many international students in pursuing their degrees at the University of Minnesota. Her philanthropy assisted other communities to grow and thrive through various programs and initiatives, globally.

Between trips and adventures, Ott designed, pieced, and created an amazing array of full-sized quilts in addition to countless table runners and other smaller works that have left a legacy of stitched work across the country for generations to come. She signed each quilt with her name, the design, and year it was created. 

Ott was also an avid genealogist, researching, interviewing, compiling, and publishing her family's story along each of its winding branches. Her genealogy work also included the compilation of the Ott-Horning Heritage Cookbook, an endeavor shared with her sister and mother. Upon its completion, the cookbook was gifted to family members, featured in the local papers, and sold over 600 copies, turning the simple undertaking into something beyond their imagination. 

Throughout her life, even as her living situation changed and "old age" began in earnest, Ott was described by family as "a boldly capable, fiercely knowledgeable, deeply compassionate, strongly independent woman."

She volunteered as a Reading Coach at Vadnais Heights Elementary for 19 years and spearheaded the updating of libraries and public-facing services. Woven into every aspect of her life, the basis of her religious beliefs and personal standard of living, was the adage: "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." 

Irene is survived by her nieces Charleen (Shea) Steffen and JoLane (Shea) Svendsen (Jerry) and Charlotte (Haak) Shea; her great-nieces and nephews Steven (Jolene), James (Tracy), Sarah (Jim), Leah (Melvin), and John; her great-great nieces and nephews Joshua (Olivia), Shea, Lillian, Samuel, Jaeden, Connor, and Cyrus; and great-great-great nephew Wells; and a multitude of extended family and friends. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at Johanna Shores Fellowship Hall at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 24, with a reception to follow. Please attend, if you are able, to celebrate, honor, and share memories of Irene.

In lieu of flowers, Irene and her family ask for donations to Common Hope or the Irene M. Ott International Fellowship through the University of Minnesota.