Donald Robert Owen

He was born February 24, 1938 to Leslie Emert Owen and Mary Jane Barnett Owen in Thermopolis, Wyoming, but lived his youth in Owensboro, Kentucky after his family moved there in search of oil prospects for the family oil treating business.

He served some time in the Army before meeting and marrying his wife, Margaret Grube, with whom he had two children: Scott and Sarah. They moved to North Carolina around 1992, leaving behind the family oil treating business to work night watch at the Raleigh YMCA when it still had residents.

A member of Landmark Church in Cary, Don loved God and his family above everything. He was a child at heart and loved to make other people smile, generous, and was always ready with a hug. His passions included woodworking, cruising and travel in general (though still a homebody), and cross-stitch before age and arthritis curtailed them, but still enjoyed reading and doing Sudoku puzzles in later life.

He liked family reunions at the mountains or ocean, motorcycles and vintage cars, and good down-home cooking like apple fritters, BBQ mutton (an Owensboro specialty) and cast iron baked cornbread.

Don is preceded in death by his parents, older brother (Richard “Bud” Owen) and sister (Joyce Muffett), but survived by his wife (Margaret Owen), two children (Scott Owen and Sarah Crowe), son-in-law (Roger Crowe), as well as several nieces and nephews.

Due to the current Covid pandemic, no funeral is planned at this time; however, a graveside memorial service will be planned when the family is able to bury his cremated remains in Owensboro.