John Earl Owens I

John Earl Owens was born 19 October 1933 in Brownsville, Tennessee to the late Nelson Jackson “NJ” and Lola Barnes-Owens. His siblings, James Luther, Odell, Mary Lena, Catherine, Louis T., Willie Frank, Herman Lee, Emma Ruth preceded him in death. Even though he wasn’t the oldest, he presented himself as one who felt he was responsible not only for his immediate family, but his parents and siblings.

While in Tennessee as a teenager, he drove the John Deere Tractor for his family and for other land owners and often spoke about how he enjoyed driving and making money working on the farms. He attended George Washington Carver High School in Haywood County, Tennessee. He sang in the choir at Mercer Baptist Church and New Hope Baptist Church of Brownsville, Tennessee.

He relocated to Chicago, Illinois afterwards, he was drafted by the United States Army in the Korean War serving there for the required two years, receiving an honorable discharge; and returned to Chicago. There he received plumbing training at Paul Laurence Dunbar Vocational School. He enjoyed employment for Campbell Soup Company and enjoyed retirement. His love for gospel music motivated him to pay for his teenage sister’s piano lessons.

John would attend Holy Temple Apostolic Faith Church, and would profess his faith through baptism in the name of Jesus and received the Holy Spirit. There, he met his lifelong wife, Ruthie Junell Collins of sixty-three years. And to this union would be two sons born: John Earl and Anthony LeMar.

John loved fishing and traveling to many places with family – he loved his family.

John would be called to the ministry and was ordained and then became pastor of Greater Apostolic Faith Church on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. His ministry was blessed to move to Torrance Avenue in Chicago, Illinois and renamed to Greater Mt. Zion Church (Apostolic Faith). It was there where he dissolved his church, retired and relocated to Dallas, Texas to support his son’s ministry.

Ten years ago, his health began to fail, with losing much of his eyesight. Then he became a product of The Lord Jesus, nurses and aides while in hospice. He rocked his unit singing songs of praise and expressing his faith.

On Monday, December 23, 2019 at 12:59 John departed this life leaving to cherish his fond memories: his “beautiful, well educated, and smart wife” Ruthie Junell and their two sons: John (Rochelle) and Anthony; grandchildren: Michael John Joshua, Myron Joseph, Angela Jeannette, Andrea Junelle and Marcus Jeffery (Dorthie) and great-grandchildren: Dreylin, Dreseyon, Deshon, Deion, LaDaejah, Myriana, Erick, Alyssa, and Kwenton; brother, Clarence (Joyce) of Aurora, Illinois and aunt, Sweet Neppie Owens-Brooks of Chicago, Illinois and a host of relatives and friends.