Joseph Aubrey Warburton

A Masonic funeral service for Dr. Joseph Aubrey Warburton, 81, will be at noon Friday at Walton's Funeral Home, 875 W. Second St., Reno. A funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Trinity Episcopal Church on Island Avenue, in Reno

Dr. Warburton died April 30, 2005, at home.

He was born May 16, 1923, to Joseph Leslie and Agatha Warburton.

He served in the Australian Imperial Forces during World War II.

Following graduation from Goulburn High School in Goulburn, NSW, Australia, in 1946, he attended the University of Sydney, graduating with honors in physics and mathematics. Advanced studies in radio astronomy and the physics of the lower atmosphere led to a master's degree and Ph.D. at the University of Queensland.

He was employed at C.S.I.R.O. in Sydney. He established the Warburton Family Science Award at Goulburn High School to provide scholarships to outstanding science students.

In 1965, he and his family emigrated to Reno, where he was appointed to a senior scientist position at the Desert Research Institute. In 1969 to 1970, he was president of DRI and later executive director of its Atmospheric Sciences Division, from which he retired in 1993, when the Board of Regents awarded him emeritus status.

At the time of his death, he was working on a weather-modification program he developed for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority in Australia.

He was also writing a book titled "The Science of Weather Modification."

His scientific work is described in more than 120 papers, and he conducted research worldwide.

He was a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics, a member of the American Meteorological Society, the North American Interstate Council on Weather Modification,and the Antartican Society. He received numerous scientific awards including having a landmark in the Antarctic named after him - Warburton Ledge.

Dr. Warburton became a Master Mason in 1956. He joined Golden Lodge 50, F&AM of Nevada, where he was Master in 1992 and 1993. He was also a member of Adah Chapter 4, Order of the Eastern Star, of Nevada and affiliated with Naomi Chapter 16 in Yerington. He was Worthy Patron of both chapters; Grand Sentinel for 1996 to 1997 and Worthy Grand Patron for 1998 to 1999.

He was also a 32 Scottish Rite, Noble of Kerak Shrine, and served in York Rite as Eminent Commander of Lahontan Commandery 7, Knights Templar, and as Excellent High Priest of St. John's Chapter, Royal Arch Masons of Nevada, a member of KYCH and active in the Rotary Club of Yerington.

He enjoyed farming in Yerington, golf, playing the piano and spending time with family and friends.

He was a Christian.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Winifred; and siblings Leslie, Ethel, George, Harold, William and Florence.

Among his survivors are his sister Thelma Dugan of Sussex Inlet; brother and sister-in-law Neville and Marge Warburton of Goulburn; brother-in-law Rupert Brown and wife Pat Brown of Canberra, Australia; children and spouses Denise and Les Linaman, Anthony and Charlotte Warburton, Alison and Jay Degn, Gail and James Jesch, Peter and Cammie Warburton, Rebecca Cherti and Catherine and Marc Morea; 22 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church or The Warburton Family Science Award Foundation at Citibank, 2375 S. Virginia St., Reno 89502, to benefit science students at Reno and Goulburn high schools.

Walton's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.