William Reagan Owen

William Reagan Owen, M.D. passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday morning, the 29th of May 2010, at the age of 84. Bill was a respected physician, sports enthusiast and beloved friend. We will all miss his clever wit, positive outlook on life and contagious laughter.

He was the oldest of three boys, born to Gladys and Reagan Owen in Athens, Texas. At the age of 14, he became the youngest Eagle Scout in Henderson County. After the family moved to Dallas, Bill attended Highland Park High School where he graduated as Most Outstanding Student and was Texas State Debate Champion. He then entered the University of Texas at Austin where he was President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a member of The Silver Spurs. Subsequently, he attended Harvard Medical School, where he graduated with distinction. While in Boston, he met and married Margaret Severin, his wife of sixty years. Upon graduation, he completed his residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital and his fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where he was Senior Surgeon.

In 1955, Bill and Margaret moved to Houston where he began his 45 year private practice in Internal Medicine specializing in Cardiology. He also served on the teaching staff of UT Houston and Baylor College of Medicine as Clinical Professor and Associate Professor for 40 years.

One of the things he treasured most was the collection of letters that he received from his patients upon his retirement. They said they would miss their “one-of-a-kind” doctor, who always sent them a two or three page letter following their annual exam. They said he conveyed his medical expertise in a direct, forthright manner with just the right amount of humor to keep the whole picture in proper perspective. And, of course, they would miss the bow ties.

Another thing he was very proud of was his Great Books Club, which he created and fostered for fifty years.

In 2006, Bill was inducted into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame after having served as President of the Texas Tennis Association and the Houston Tennis Association. He was also a founding member of the University Club of Houston and President of the University Club Men's Tennis Association, a member of the Texas Tennis Association Management Committee for thirteen years, a delegate to the United States Tennis Association and its Executive Committee and Chairman of the USTA President's Committee. Some of his proudest tennis accomplishments include having multiple rankings in Senior Singles, Doubles and Husband and Wife Doubles; playing at the U.S. Open at Forest Hills in Father-Daughter with his daughter, Susan; leading a 4.5 USTA team to a national title; starting the first USTA league program in Houston and the first 50’s and 65’s doubles leagues in the country.

Bill Owen leaves his wife, Margaret, and daughters, Claudia Lummis and her husband, Fred, of Houston, and Susan Dawson and her husband, Tommy, of Austin, and five grandchildren, Fred Lummis and his wife, Amanda, Dan Lummis, Ben Lummis, Emily Dawson and Will Dawson. He is also survived by his younger brothers Bob and Jerry and his wife, Joan, of Dallas.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 3rd of June, at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where the Rev. Martin J. Bastian, Senior Associate Rector, is to officiate.

Immediately following the service, all are invited to join the family for a reception to be held in the adjacent Bagby Parish Hall.