Jack Edward Owen

January 14, 1924 - January 30, 2015

Jack Edward Owen was born January 14, 1924 in Mexia, Texas to Frank Owen of Carthage, Tennessee and Vera Jones Owen of San Saba, Texas. In 1928, the family moved to Marlin, Texas where Jack spent his youth. At Marlin High School he was president of the student body, played halfback on the Marlin Bulldogs football team, tutored other students in English and algebra, served as president of the Texas High School Press Association, and was a speechwriter for the Young Democrats of Texas.

He attended the University of Texas for one year and then transferred to Texas A&M, where he was a pre-med major. World War II ended his studies, and Jack joined the United States Maritime Service. For three years he sailed the Pacific Ocean aboard merchant ships carrying supplies and munitions to our troops and saw duty at Guam, Tinian, Saipan and finally Japan itself. Upon discharge from the USMS, he returned to Austin.

His uncle Emmett Jones asked Jack to join him in the chain line lumber yard business in several Texas towns. The lumber business led him to Port Arthur, Texas where he met and married Hessie Williams on September 30, 1950. Son Jack Jr. was born in 1951, and two years later the family moved to Austin where Jack became general manager of Barnes-Jones Lumber Company. Daughter Hessie was born in 1953. The lumber business in central Texas expanded to include land development on the Highland Lakes and in New Mexico, and Jack was actively involved in those ventures well into his eighties.

Outside of work and family activities, Jack found great satisfaction teaching at University United Methodist Church, and he spent many years leading Sunday School classes for the young adults and men's groups at church. He served as president of the Highland Lakes Tourist Association and was a member of the Rotary Club of Austin for 47 years (including 42 years of perfect attendance.) Jack and Hessie enjoyed travel in Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and much of the United States.

Jack is survived by his wife Hessie, son Jack Owen, Jr., daughter Hessie Brawley and husband Vance Brawley, grandchildren Sean Owen and wife Ambreen, MarrGwen Dickson and husband Patrick, Vance Brawley, III, and James Daly, and Hunter Brawley, and four great-grandchildren, Mary Alison Dickson, Malone Dickson, MarrGwen Dickson, and Aram Owen. Jack was preceded in death by grandson Lewis Thorne Brawley.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 3, 2015, at St. Austin's Catholic Church, 2010 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas 78705 (on The Drag, between W. MLK Blvd. and W. 21st Street.) Burial will be held in private. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to Seton Development Board Memorial Fund, 1201 West 38th Street, Austin, Texas 78705, or to a charity of your choice.

The family would like to express our sincere thanks to the staff of Hospice Austin for their loving and compassionate care of Jack during these past few months.