David Benton Owen

David Benton Owen was born on July 15, 1930 in Eastland, Texas to Grady and Delma Owen. David departed this life on Monday night, May 4, 2015 at the age of 84, at the Highland Springs Nursing Facility in Dallas. He had lived with Alzheimer’s Disease since 2007 and declined rapidly following a fall and broken hip in March of 2015. Growing up, David attended schools in Eastland, Austin, Dallas, Brownwood, and Fort Worth, Texas. He went to high school in Fort Worth at Arlington Heights High School where he played basketball, tennis, and baseball. David attended college at the University of Texas in the School of Arts and Sciences and graduated from Law School in 1954. While at UT, David played college baseball and played sandlot and semi-pro ball in the summers. He loved all sports, but baseball was his great love. While in Austin, he met Jane Clary at church and they were married for 31 years, from 1954 to 1985. They married prior to him being shipped overseas to Korea for active duty in the Army for 1 1/2 years. He served as a non-commissioned officer and quickly worked his way through the ranks from private to sergeant. When his commission came through, he served as a 1st Lieutenant and as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the Army where his primary duty was to handle general court martial cases. He served 3 years of active duty and another 6 years in the Reserves as a Captain. David returned to Fort Worth and went to work for a law firm where he became a partner at Morgan, Gambill & Owen. His law firm handled family and civil law matters, but became one of only a few firms in Texas that specialized in school law. During his legal career, David represented over 60 school districts, 3 small colleges, a junior college and several private schools. His most important school law matter was the Fort Worth School District’s desegregation case, filed in 1959. David was active in the community and served on the Board of the Tarrant County Bar Association, taught real estate law classes, and was an involved member at South Hills Christian Church. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed camping, hunting, and fishing. David backpacked in wilderness areas, rode horses to the Continental Divide, and canoed the boundary waters of Canada and many rivers in Texas, either with family or like-minded friends. He retired from law and moved to Austin in 1995 where he became an avid writer and an amateur photographer. He also found time to travel and see the world with a close group of friends. David is preceded in death by his mother, Delma Owen; his father, Grady Owen; and his son, Marc Owen. David is survived by his daughter, Erin Owen Hagey (husband David); his two grandchildren, Tara Elizabeth Hagey and Brandon Owen Hagey; his brother, Kerry Owen (wife Carolyn); and his former wife and mother of his children, Jane Owen Strange. A Celebration of Life reception will be held at the home of Erin Hagey in Plano on Sunday, May 10 from 6:30-8:30 pm. A Graveside Service will be held on Monday, May 11 at 2:15 at the DFW National Cemetery at 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy. Donations can be made in his honor to: The Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Dallas Chapter, 4144 N. Central Expressway, Suite 750, Dallas, TX 75204; or online at alz.org.