Susan Joan Owen

Susan Joan (Poplett) Owen entered eternal rest on July 18, 2026, at Lutheran Life Villages Inverness. Born June 24, 1940 in Southall, West London, England, Susan was a child of WWII who delighted family and friends with stories about civilian life in wartime London. Surviving the German Blitz in a neighbor-shared bomb shelter, ducking under a metal dining table when the eerie sound of buzz bombs threatened overhead, and finding creative ways to stretch food rations were defining experiences of her youth.

Seeking opportunities unavailable in post-war England, Susan’s parents decided to move the family abroad, and in November of 1948, they boarded Cunard White Star’s RMS Parthia, and embarked for the United States. After a brief time in Cleveland, Ohio, her father accepted a job offer from International Harvester and the family relocated to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1950. Susan attended Forest Park Elementary School where she met her life-long best friend and partner in mischief, Karen Kruse Rosebrough, and along with the friendship of several close girlfriends, she fully and enthusiastically embraced her new life in America. She graduated from North Side High School in 1958 and remained a proud Redskin alum throughout her life, later serving on the North Side High School Alumni Scholarship Committee. In 1953, Susan affirmed her Baptism through the Rite of Confirmation at Trinity English Lutheran Church, and remained a member until her passing.

Susan attended Indiana University Bloomington, and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics and her teaching license in 1962. She met her husband, Jim (Buzz) Owen during a chance encounter at the intersection of Indiana and Kirkwood Avenues near the I.U. campus. They married September 1, 1962, and enjoyed 56 years together as husband and wife.

In 1975, Susan completed her formal education, earning a Master of Science in Secondary Education at Saint Francis College, Fort Wayne. She taught Home Economics at Elmhurst High School from 1970 until her retirement in 1997. Her calm demeanor, genuine compassion, and kind nature made her a favorite among her students, many of whom remained in contact with her throughout her life. Likewise, she deeply cherished her teacher friends and valued them as extended family.

Following her retirement, Susan and Buzz traveled extensively, creating treasured memories and lifelong friendships around the world. They graciously opened their home to many foreign exchange students from various countries, and Susan thoroughly enjoyed helping them navigate the cultural and practical aspects of life in their American home. Her love of travel and genuine interest in learning about other cultures inspired her to become involved with Fort Wayne Sister Cities International. Through this program, she proudly served as a Fort Wayne delegate to Takaoka, Japan, where she formed enduring friendships and lasting memories.

Whenever opportunities arose to travel and support students, Susan eagerly embraced them. She joined Buzz for a semester at Indiana University’s Washington D.C. Leadership Program where he served as faculty advisor. With her eagerness to help, resourcefulness, and compassionate spirit, she quickly became the de facto “Mom Away from Home” to the traveling students. She served in a similar role when she and Buzz ventured to Płock, Poland shortly after the Fall of the Iron Curtain.

Passionate about family histories, Susan was inspired to trace her own ancestry upon watching the television miniseries, Roots, in 1977. She spent countless hours at the Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center researching the family histories of dozens of her friends and relatives, who delighted in receiving beautifully organized binders documenting her findings.

A voracious reader throughout her life, Susan once exhausted an entire genre at the Shawnee Branch Library. She enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing, knitting, crocheting, bird watching, and enthusiastically supporting her children, grandchildren and their many activities. Above all, Susan was an intelligent, compassionate, and nurturing woman who opened her heart and home to many.

Susan is survived by her children, Andrew (Angie) Owen and Sarah (George) Baldus; her grandchildren, Austen (Erin) Owen, Allison (Ben) Perkins, Alex Owen, Georgia Baldus, Caroline Baldus, and Keenan Baldus; great-grandchildren, Victoria Owen, Ozzie Owen, and Desmond Perkins; cherished bonus daughter, Maria Parra, bonus son, Leon (Melanie) Richardson and his children Lauren Richardson, Natalie Richardson, Nicholas Richardson, and Adam Richardson; loving and supportive brother and sisters-in-law, Dennis and Jan Owen, and Janet Reid; nephews, John Reid, Dan Reid, Kevin Owen, and Jim Owen.

Susan was preceded in death by her loving parents Thomas W. and Doris J. Poplett; and her loving husband, C. James (Buzz) Owen.

A Memorial Visitation is Thursday, July 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and a Memorial Service is Friday, July 31, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. Both the visitations and the memorial service will be held at Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home, 6424 Winchester Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46819.

Preferred Memorials are to The Alzheimer’s Association, Indiana Chapter https://www.alz.org/indiana, 7221 Engle Road, #230, Fort Wayne, IN 46804; or to the Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library, https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=aclp_lib&id=3 select “Memorial Gift” as the gift designation and "Genealogy Center” as the Department Designee, or checks made payable to ACPL with "Genealogy Gift Fund” in the memo line.