Ralph E Owens
(December 30, 1929 – June 12, 2012)
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 16, 2012 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville with Rev. Lee Lovett officiating. Visitation from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Friday. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville, IL with military rites by the Shelby County Honor Guard. Memorials may be given to Shelbyville Boys Baseball or American Cancer Society in memory of Jennifer Owens-Frye.
Ralph was born on December 30, 1929 in Westervelt, IL, the son of Charlie and Leona Rodman Owens. He graduated from Tower Hill High School in the Class of 1947. He was a U. S. Army veteran of the Korean War, where he served as a radioman. Ralph began working for the Oliver Corporation in Shelbyville, IL. He later worked for Trailmobile in Charleston, IL and then retired from International Paper in Shelbyville, IL. Ralph was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Roy Vanderpool American Legion Post #81, Moose Lodge #1294, life member of VFW Post #4829 all of Shelbyville and AMVETS. He married Marita May Furr on November 8, 1953.
Surviving are his wife, Marita of Shelbyville; sons, Larry E. Owens and wife Barbara of Bethany, IL, Raymond E. Owens and wife Debra of Cave City, AR and Lynn E. Owens and wife Cindi of Lakewood, IL; brothers, Merlon Owens of Pana, IL and Freemon Owens and wife Josephine of Rockford, IL; grandchildren, Amanda Owens, Margaret Menacher, Michael Owens, Elizabeth Ragan and Dalton, Nicole and Macy Owens; and eleven great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and one granddaughter, Jennifer Owens-Frye on November 22, 2011.
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