Obituary

A memorial service for Gene V. Owen will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006, at First Baptist Church, Plainview, Texas, with Dr. Travis Hart, pastor, officiating. A private graveside service will be held before the memorial with arrangements by Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. Mr. Owen died Monday evening after a long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was born Jan. 22, 1928, in Clinton, Okla., the youngest child of Albert Hope and Sue Lucille Jeffrey Kilman Owen. He attended public schools in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas, and he graduated from Shawnee High School, Shawnee, Okla., in 1943. His father was pastor of First Baptist Church in Plainview from 1944-53 and president of Wayland Baptist University from 1953-63. Owen went to Oklahoma Baptist University on a basketball scholarship and then attended Baylor University School of Law where he graduated in 1950 with a Juris Doctor. In July 1950, he joined the law practice of Judge Frank R. Day in Plainview. On Aug. 8, 1950, Owen married Mary Frank Day at First Baptist Church in Plainview. Together they have four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. During the Korean War, Owen was called into service in 1952. He served in the JAG Corps in the United States Air Force, stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and Sampson Air Force Base in Geneva, N.Y. After an honorable discharge from the USAF in July 1953, Owen returned to Plainview and resumed his law practice at Day and Owen. In 1977, his son, Rudd, became the third generation attorney to practice in the firm, making it Day, Owen, Lyle, Voss and Owen. Owen continued a successful law practice for more than 56 years at what is now Owen, Voss, Owen and Melton. Owen was a man with a firm belief in God and an unshakable faith. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Plainview, for more than 60 years, serving as trustee, deacon and Sanctuary Choir member. He served on the finance committee as well as several pastor search committees, and was chairman of the building renovation committee in 1993 at which time the church underwent a major restoration. He continued to serve and support his church faithfully throughout his life. Wayland Baptist University has always been one of Owen's great loves. He served on the Board of Trustees for almost all of the last 36 years. In October 2001, his fellow trustees adopted a Resolution of Appreciation to express their gratitude and respect for his exceptional and unselfish leadership. He also chaired the Celebrating Excellence Campaign at Wayland from 1983-85. In 2005, he was the recipient of the first Legacy of Leadership Award, where it was said, "(Owen) was a man who first to last made his devotion to the cause of Christ his life's testimony." In 2006, the Board of Trustees presented him with the Keeper of the Flame award. In addition to his service to Wayland, Owen believed in service to his community. He has been cited for his work with the Plainview-Hale County Industrial Foundation since its inception in the early 1970s, twice serving as chairman of the board. He was instrumental through his legal work in bringing to Plainview such industries as Excel, Wal-Mart and Azteca. Owen was a trustee for the James and Eva Mayer Foundation which has made major contributions to Wayland Baptist University, Kidsville, Wee Care Child Center, the YMCA expansion drive, Rotary International PolioPlus Relief Fund, Plainview Education Partnership, Hale County Crisis Center, Lubbock Methodist Hospital-Ronald McDonald Children's House and the High Plains Baptist Hospital Foundation Rehabilitation Center, Hale County Senior Citizen Center and the Museum of the Llano Estacado Museum. He also was a member of the Plainview Rotary Club for 54 years. Owen enjoyed and played sports such as tennis and racquetball. He was an avid golfer; however, his enthusiasm for fishing was well known. He learned to fish as a young boy with his father. Fishing became a life-long passion that "Dado" shared with his wife, his sons, his daughters, his sons-in-law, his grandchildren and his many friends. Owen is survived by his wife; a daughter and son-in-law, Jeffre Ann and Larry Littleton of Dallas; two sons and daughters-in-law, Rudd Franklin and Julie Owen, and Ross Gene and Jan Owen, all of Plainview; and a daughter and son-in-law, Dayna Mary and Neil White of Plainview. He also has 10 grandchildren, Judson Owen Littleton and Abby Ann Littleton of Dallas; Nancey Margaret Littleton Hernandez and her husband Michael of Dallas, and Mary Frances Littleton Progar and her husband Brian of Houston; Meredith Day Owen Riddle and her husband Trent of Lubbock; and Lauren Jan Owen, Jordan April Owen, Sealey Anne Owen, Aubrey Hope White and Evan Jacob White, all of Plainview; and two great-grandchildren, Molly McCall Progar and Brennon James Riddle. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Hope Owen Pritchard; his brothers, Karl Kip Owen and Bruce Baxter Owen; and his father and mother-in-law, Frank R. and Anne Day. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2006, in the Family Life Parlor at First Baptist Church, Plainview. Memorials should be made to First Baptist Church, Plainview, Texas, or the A. Hope Owen Scholarship Fund at Wayland Baptist University.