Thomas Charles Owens

Thomas Charles Owens died on Sunday night, November 29, 2020, at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on May 27, 1939, to Thomas J. and Elizabeth Owens. “Tommy” moved with his parents to Kansas City, Missouri and then to Independence, where he grew up with his younger sister and two younger brothers. He attended St. Mary’s grade school and Rock Creek grade school. He was very active in scouts including the Mic-O-Say tribe, and he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. During his teenage years, he delivered the Kansas City Times and Star and the Independence Examiner newspapers. While attending Central High School, he was in the ROTC program and graduated in 1957. In 1960, he joined the Army Reserves. Later he was called up for the Berlin Wall Crisis but did not leave the country. Tom graduated from Rockhurst College with a degree in Business Administration and later attended the Stonier School of Banking. He had a long career in banking and retired early in 2001 due to health challenges from Myasthenia Gravis.

Tom married Catherine Butler on June 22, 1963, at St. James Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. They made their home in Overland Park, where they are members of Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, and where they raised 12 successful children. While raising his family, money was often tight, but Tom always figured out a way to provide what was needed for his family. In addition to his successful banking career, Tom was a volunteer fireman with the Overland Park Fire Department throughout the 1970s. The work and the friendships he made during this time were particularly rewarding to him.

Family vacations were always adventures with such a large family. Summer road trips took the family all over the country to many destinations including Arizona to visit grandparents, Pennsylvania to visit great-grandparents and cousins, New York and Washington, D.C. to see all the sights, and Florida to see Mickey Mouse. Other destinations, such as Chicago, Texas, Colorado and Branson were also included in travel. One of the more memorable vacations was a road trip to Phoenix to visit his folks. He rented a great big motorhome that the kids called the “ultimate behemoth.” It broke down and the whole family flew home, which was the first airplane ride for many of the kids!

Hard work was expected of the kids, Tom was so proud of his 12 children. From a young age, the kids were encouraged to have paper routes, babysit, mow lawns, and any other job to make their own money. Many of the older kids remember getting their paper route money prepared for Tom to take to the bank where he worked to deposit the money in their savings accounts. All of these early lessons taught the kids values that proved fruitful in adulthood.

Tom suffered many years with various ailments, which limited his ability to participate in many activities, but when it mattered, he was there. He brought corsages home for his wife and each of his four daughters each Easter while they were growing up, and he walked them each down the aisle at their weddings. He remembered special occasions and anniversaries with huge bouquets of roses for his wife. Tom enjoyed making popcorn and watching M*A*S*H reruns in the evenings with the kids. To this day, many of the kids still enjoy watching M*A*S*H. Later on, he enjoyed watching Cops with his youngest, who is now a Sergeant with the local police department. He enjoyed spending special time with his grandchildren and the relationships he had with each of them. He enjoyed hearing about his children's successes and adventures as they navigated their careers. With each passing year, he was increasingly proud of his children and was happy to let them know it. Especially at the end of his life, he made sure to let all of them know how proud he was of them.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Libby, brothers-in-law, Ray Jodoin and Edward Butler, sisters-in-law Ann Verhulst and Theresa Imming, and three grandchildren, Nicole, Heather and Jackson. Cathy, his wife of 57 years survives along with his children: Tom, Jr., Mike (Jennifer), Lisa (Myles), Pam (David), Patrick (Jennifer), Brian (Renee), Megan (Rodney), Barry (Chris), Tim (Danielle), Laura (Scott), Bob (Jennifer) and Terry (Natalie). He is also survived by his 27 grandchildren: Shawn, Stephen, Jacob, Josie, Andrew, Ben, Natalie, Abbie, Trey, Marty, Max, Elliot, Lindsey, Joey, Christopher, Aubrey, Alexa, Liam, Maggie, Scotty, Chloe, Caylee, Courtney, Olivia, Riley, Alex and Ana, and his great-grandson, Milo. He also leaves two brothers, James Owens (Linda) of Casa Grande, Arizona and Bill Owens (Donna) of Abingdon, Maryland, two brothers-in-law, Gary Imming and Allan Verhulst, sister-in-law, Patty Butler and a host of nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m., Friday, December 4, 2020 at Queen of the Holy Rosary, 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park, KS 66204, with Mass following at 10:30 a.m.; burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Raytown, MO.