Anne Baskin Owens

Anne Baskin Owens, a member of the Greatest Generation, passed away on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, after a long and exceptional life. Anne was born on February 18, 1927, in Roanoke, Alabama. Her parents were Hugh Lee Baskin and Grace Tennant Baskin. Hugh Lee was for many years a successful merchant in Roanoke. She had one brother, Hugh Lee Baskin, Jr., who lived in Jackson, Mississippi and is now deceased.

Anne attended Stephens College and graduated from the University of Georgia. Afterwards, she married James Connor Owens, Jr. who was completing his education at Athens after World War II. Connor was exceptional in his own right: recipient of the Silver Star for action in the Normandy hedgerows following D-Day where he was badly wounded; afterwards brilliant lawyer and banker.

Once admitted to the bar, Connor became a lawyer for the USDA in Washington, DC, where Anne worked in the Russian Section of the Library of Congress. Anne was told not to expect children, but this proved false, and Margaret Evelyn Owens was born at Garfield Memorial Hospital followed in later years by three other children.

Connor and Anne learned government life was not for them and decided to relocate to Alabama. They also determined to live a distance from their parents and picked Bay Minette as a place of opportunity despite the lack of family connections in south Alabama. Connor hung out his shingle as a sole practitioner, and consistent with her love of learning, Anne began a long career as secondary-school English teacher. Through ability, hard work and dedication Anne earned universal recognition as an excellent instructor and was gratified by the achievements of successive generations of students.

At the same time Anne was raising a family with four children, supporting their personal, academic, artistic, and athletic advancement to good effect. For so long as Connor was alive, they remained settled in Bay Minette, where Anne had many close friends and was active in the church. Connor and Anne enjoyed visiting their extended family which had settled in diverse locations nationally and internationally and was largely remarkable in education and professional accomplishments. Anne also had a longstanding love of music, supporting and attending Mobile’s opera and symphony.

Connor passed away in early 1998, and Anne decided to relocate to Mobile. After moving to Mobile, Anne became a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she was a faithful congregant. Throughout her life Anne was known for her kindly disposition and sense of humor, as well as persistence in accomplishing any task that was at hand. She is greatly missed.

Anne is survived by four children: Margaret Evelyn Owens Simpson (Mobile); James Connor Owens, III (Huntsville and Tuscaloosa); Leila Owens Morris (Bay Minette); and Elizabeth Owens Frost (Mobile). Anne was also blessed with five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be conducted for Anne in the Little Church at St. Paul’s, Mobile on Monday, February 14, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. The family suggests donations to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mobile, Alabama in lieu of flowers.