James Lawrence Owensby

James “Jimmy” Lawrence Owensby, 61, of Odessa, died Wednesday, August 11th at Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus in El Paso. Viewing and visitation will be held August 19th from 6-8 PM at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.

Funeral services are scheduled at 10 AM Friday August 20th at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Chapel with Rev. Paul Thompson officiating. Burial will follow at the Odessa II section of Ector County Cemetery. Dylan Owensby, Ronnie Freeman, Ruben Sawyers, Brandon Troxell, John Durell, Kyle Fawks and Barry Sandefer will serve as pallbearers. Mickey Harlow is an honorary pallbearer.

Jimmy was born on August 14, 1959, in Odessa, Texas to Robert and Dorothy Owensby. Jimmy had his first job at the young age of 14 at the Shamrock gas station. In his high school years, he went on to work at Firestone as a front end and brake mechanic and moved on to service uninterrupted power generators and industrial gas engines. He married the love of his life, Sonja, on January 29, 1982. At the time of death, he was co-owner of Industrial Parts Service Supply and was just beginning the “semi-retired life”. If you knew Jimmy, he was an extremely hard worker. If he wasn’t working on something at home or in the yard he would find a project, and he was always willing to help someone else with their projects. Jimmy loved to help repair and maintain the family hot rods, his father-in-law’s pulling tractors, and his brother-in-law’s race boat. He was funny, kind, generous, genuine, and truly never met a stranger. He would always find someone to talk to and would talk their ear off. Jimmy loved sports and was a big fan of motor sports. He loved to play board games and never turned down a “friendly” card game with his friends and family. He loved his family more than this world and would do anything for them. He will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.

He is preceded in death by his father Robert Owensby. He is survived by his wife, Sonja Owensby of Odessa; son, Dylan Owensby of Odessa; daughter, Leah Durell and husband John Durell of Arlington, Texas; mother, Dorothy Owensby of Odessa; sisters, Gwenda Watkins Duke and Brenda Kay Duarte of Odessa; and brother Bobby Owensby and wife Sandi Owensby of Odessa.