Bruce "Smokey" Owen

Theo Bruce "Smokey" Owen, 94, of Oviedo, FL passed away peacefully in his sleep at the Orlando Health & Rehabilitation Center on April 6, 2016 at 1:20 p.m. Known to his family in Tennessee where he was born in Taft, as Toad, Bruce had a bad heart and polio as a child and wasn't expected to survive past childhood. The polio left him with a crippled left leg, but that never kept him from living a full and active life. Smokey was a man of many professions. There wasn't a vehicle that he couldn't drive, or fix. He drove a commercial truck at age 13. He worked the rodeo, herded sheep, and drilled wells for many years. He met the love of his life (Pearl A. Barr of Oviedo, FL) and fell for her and her 3 children quickly, marrying after only 3 weeks! They spent 61 years together before being parted only in death when Pearl died 3 years ago at the age of 89. Bruce and Pearl had one child together but all of the children were always "his kids." Smokey was a hard working man with a passion for whittling and Tennessee Moonshine. He was known to keep a jar of this Tennessee cough medicine - flavored with cherries and rock candy - in a handy location for cough emergencies. Bruce is survived by 3 of his 4 children, Elizabeth Helton, Russel Skelly and Frank Owen as well as many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren and numerous loving family members all over the United States. He is preceded in death by many family members and friends including his son Richard Skelly, his beloved wife Pearl A. Owen and his canine companion of 16 years “Molly”. This loyal dachshund was never far from his hip.