William Winterton Owens III

On Wednesday September 9, 2020, after a brief illness, William (Bill) Owens passed away at Virginia Hospital Center.

Bill is survived by his sons William W. Owens IV (Carol) and Stuart N. Owens (Diane), grandchildren Nancy O. Barry (John), Kristen O. Morgan (Melvin) and Andrew R. Owens; and great grandchildren Haley B. Yunker, Carson J. Barry, Kennedy N. Morgan and Hayden M. Morgan.

Bill was born on May 28, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York where he spent his childhood and youth. Following graduation from Brooklyn Tech, he attended Cornell University, graduating in 1941. It was at Cornell that he met his wife of 74 years, Dorothy Andrews Owens, who predeceased him. She was the love of his life, and in their later years together, he often said that God put him on this earth for two reasons, one of which was to take care of his wife.

Bill was one of the first men drafted prior to the beginning of World War II. He received a deferment to finish college, and then joined the army. Following his initial training and assignment, he was selected for Officer Candidate School. At the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of Major and was serving as the S-3 Operations Officer for the 339th Infantry Regiment fighting in Italy. He was the recipient of two Bronze Stars among his other awards. Following his wartime active duty, Bill remained in the army reserves and retired from the army as a lieutenant colonel with 27 years of service.

After the war, Bill also began a career with the U. S. Chamber of Commerce that spanned 38 years. He began doing editorial work for the Chamber’s magazine, Nation’s Business, and then switched to the business side of the house. He eventually rose to Chief Financial Officer of the Communications Group, which included the magazine, television shows and other media. He retired in 1983.

During his working years, and after retirement, Bill and Dorothy loved to travel. They traveled the world on cruises, as members of group tours and doing independent travel. They were among the first to visit the People’s Republic of China when that country opened to visitors.

Bill was also an avid golfer, and playing golf was the second reason that Bill believed that God had put him on this earth. He belonged to Washington Golf and Country Club and played frequently with the WAGS group. He played golf until he was 98 years old.

When not traveling, Bill and Dorothy enjoyed time at their condo in Rehoboth Beach, and at the family farm in Kabletown, WV. They also enjoyed spending time with friends and family. Family was and remained the most important thing to Bill throughout his life.

During his life, Bill was part of a somewhat unique combination of historical events. Bill came into this world with the Spanish Flu of 1918 and left with the coronavirus of 2020. During his 102 years, Bill lived a full and active life. The life lessons and values he passed down to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are treasured, and they will endure for many years to come.