William T. Owen

July 30, 1940 - February 9, 2022

Born in Lake Forest, Illinois, son of William J and Alba Owen, Bill lived on the Pacific coast when his dad was stationed there. For a time the family lived at Farnsworth, in Great Lakes Naval Base housing. He started school in upstate New York, but the family, including his older sisters Elaine and Shirley, went back to the Chicago north shore and he graduated from North Chicago High School, where he was an all conference football and baseball player.

He married Donna Lee Valentincic, and had four children, Carolyn Owen Sommer, Daniel Lee Owen, William Timothy John Owen and Theodore Thomas Owen.

Bill had many jobs, from the assembly line at American Motors to his retirement from Rykoff Sexton/US Foods. For a time he owned a small lunch counter restaurant. After retirement, Bill studied and got his real estate license. His work took him to homes in Waukegan, Illinois; Neenah, Wisconsin and Largo-Clearwater, Florida.

Dad took our family on vacations with our pop up camper, he took us to every flower show at Garfield and Lincoln Park conservatories in Chicago, we frequently went to the Museum of Science & Industry and the Milwaukee Zoo. Of course, Wrigley Field was on the ticket, and the Ice Capades. Any enriching experience he could afford for his family was a Sunday afternoon excursion, after morning Sunday School.

Dad was a Christian from a young age, and met his wife at high school youth group at Immanuel Baptist Church in Waukegan Illinois. He proposed to her on the pier at sunset, and they were together for 60 years. Faith and church were bedrock to both Bill and Donna.

Two highlights of Dad’s life were being the chairman for our high school band trip to Disney World and his super bowl award from the Rykoff/Sexton company.

When Disney World opened, they asked marching bands to apply to come and play in the daily parade. The band parents wanted the kids to go, and Dad agreed to be fundraising chairman on the condition that all the kids went, and all the cost was covered, so no one had to pay. Through a series of pancake breakfasts, sixty five kids went to Florida.

When Dad worked for Sexton selling high end wholesale foods, they had a contest nationwide for their salespeople for who could sell the most salad dressing. Dad always worked the “spifs,” and this was no exception. He won an all expense paid trip to a Palm Springs California golf club, Desert Springs, and a trip to the Super Bowl. When my parents got there, they found it was a promotion by the company that made the salad dressings. Sexton had used it as a sales prize, but numerous other company presidents just kept the trip for themselves, so Dad and Mom hobnobbed and golfed with the elite that week.

My parents had always dreamed of moving to Florida, especially when they lived in Wisconsin. It was cold up there. Dad transferred from Wisconsin and Mom got a nursing job in Florida, and they made the big move. Dad loved growing citrus fruits and bananas. His yard was lovely with palm trees and roses and tomatoes. They had a pool and small hot tub installed, and entertained friends poolside. Dad enjoyed cooking for crowds of friends. My parents loved having season tickets for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and after they were unable to drive to the games, they still watched them on tv. Mom got interested in clowning, and dad became her straight man. Of course, their dog Max was a little clown sidekick. Mom loved making people laugh and sharing the gospel, and Dad loved seeing Mom make people laugh in their ministry. They worked together in clowning as in everything else.

My parents came to enjoy cruising, and from their first Alaska trip until their final cruise through the Panama Canal, it was a time of refreshment, and many refreshments, for them. Their other favorite destination was the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall.

As Mom journeyed into Lewy Body Dementia, Dad became her full time caretaker. He took care of her for ten years, until the last days of her life, when she went to hospice. Because he was so exhausted and missing his wife, no one really noticed his own slide into Dementia. We tried to get him to come to Illinois, but he would not until the county services said he needed help. George and I drove him from Florida to a memory care home on a golf course in Springfield Illinois. The last nine months of his life were lived there.

Now, my parents will be together in heaven, praising the Lord hand in hand.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bisch and Son Funeral Home, Springfield. Per his wishes, cremation rites were accorded.