Ann Lunsford Owens

Born on July 22, 1938 in Willacoochee, GA, she was the daughter of the late Augustus Oscar Lunsford and the late Mary Edna Cox Lunsford. Born and raised throughout several small towns in Georgia, Ann followed her family’s long line of Educators and earned a Bachelor’s in Education from Georgia Teacher’s College and met who would become her husband at a dance in the college gymnasium in Statesboro, Georgia. In March 1960, Ann married her love, Leonard, and began what would be their 62 years of life adventures together in Greensboro, N.C. Ann enthusiastically began her career teaching second and third grade to her “children” in several nearby schools before realizing her lifelong dream of becoming a mom to three of her own.

Ann was a passionate Educator, a wonderful mama, a caring wife, a doting grandmother “Annie”, and Mom to many. Some lovingly called her, “My Other Mother.” She would often gather her family of five, Siamese cat and Siberian Huskey and travel to visit friends and relatives near and far. You were deemed lucky when she brought you a jar of her famous pimento cheese, with love and support added for good measure. Many days on the road were spent going to her most treasured places, her parents’ home on Jekyll Island Georgia and Meadows of Dan, Virginia where Ann and Leonard had built a cabin with their life-long friends, Pat and John.

Ann’s background in education would lead her to an interest in preserving the earth and her deep love and connection to all animals. She would often whistle to the birds or observe insects in their habitat for hours. Ann was known for her green thumb and made sure her three children were raised eating vegetables from the back yard garden. Sometimes she even chased her kids around the house until they gave up and tried something new! When someone would admire her Gardenia’s and plants, Ann would offer a sprig for them to take home so they could transplant them and enjoy their own.

At any moment you may have heard Ann playing the piano by ear, seen her at a pottery studio across town or teaching children at West Market church daycare. She might have been actively orchestrating classical or opera music while riding in the car, sketching or painting, cooking her mom’s delicious pork chops and rice recipe, dancing with her husband in the den, being silly and “knee slap” laughing with her family, reading National Geographic or attending an art museum or concert.

Ann also loved promoting the latest technology, health and environmental information to her family and friends which was a constant interest and influence of how she lived her life. In Fact, she would make sure that her family were the first on the block to get a microwave and a VCR. In 1981, Ann diligently researched computers to buy her children the latest version of the Apple 2 so Angela, Kyle and Leigh could learn the beginnings of computer programming. She made sure her children explored all types of sports including the time she signed up her family for Tennis lessons because she thought it was important to explore the sport together or thought it would be the sport for one of us.

Ann would teach her family about the importance of conserving and recycling; she was definitely ahead of her time. With her wisdom, curiosity, and cleverness, she “invented” several ideas that would later be something you would see at the grocery store or hear about in the news. Ann had a keen artistic eye for finding design and beauty in nature and sometimes a unique purpose for objects that others might not otherwise see useful! Later, she would continue to teach her adult children and grandchildren by saving and highlighting newspaper clippings that she thought were important to share, e-mail articles or she would call in excitement when there was a quality PBS program on that evening.

There is no doubt that Ann loved her Leonard, never forgetting her husband’s name, that he was important to her and that he would take care of her with every transition that she faced. Ann loved and adored her children, Angela, Kyle and Leigh and grandchildren, Lyndsay and Chloe, her “little” brother Joe and many friends. She made such an important impact in our lives, we will miss Ann’s passion for education, unique and beautiful spirit, sense of humor and her unconditional love.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her son-in-law, Bradley Price Wood, and many beloved Aunts, Uncles, cousins and dear friends.

Ann is survived by her husband Starling Leonard Owens; Daughters, Angela Owens McCorquodale and husband Lowell of Oakridge, NC and Leigh Owens Wood of Simpsonville, SC; son, Kyle Lunsford Owens of Jekyll Island, GA; two grandchildren, Lyndsay Starling Wood and Chloe Brayden Wood; brother, Joe Cox Lunsford and wife Belva of Warner Robbins, GA; nephew, Ben Lunsford; and numerous other family members and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at West Market Street United Methodist Church Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorial contributions be made to the Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Center which was one of Ann’s passions due to her deep Georgia roots and her parents’ family home on Jekyll Island Georgia.

Donations accepted online at https://jekyllislandfoundation.org/give/initiatives/the-georgia-sea-turtle-center/ or Jekyll Island Foundation P.O. Box 13002 Jekyll Island, GA 31527 -with indication for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Owens family.