Obit from the Paducah Sun
Nov 23, 2011
MAYFIELD — Mr. Gregory Alan Owen, age 57, of Mayfield, Ky., passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 5:59 a.m. at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, and a retired riverboat pilot.
Mr. Owen is survived by his two daughters, Whitney (Sam) LeBlanc of New York, N.Y., Megan (James) Guyette of Paducah, Ky.; one brother, Gary (Marion) Owen of Dimondale, Mich.; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Nancy Grayum Owen.
Greg left Detroit in the early 70's at age 18 and moved to Mayfield to live with his grandmother, Eula Clark Own of Dublin Road in Mayfield. He took up with neighbor brothers and farmers, Joe and James Guthrie, and began to learn what he called a "fine and noble profession", farming.
From sunrise til dusk he followed his mentors, and was an avid student of fertilizers, Internal Harvester, cattle, soybeans, and tobacco. Having earned the nick name "Chief" from the senior pair, he became the son they never had, and for him, the respect he had for the brothers was of the highest regard.
Taking on a temporary job at General Tire to subsidize his livelihood, the Guthrie brothers introduced him to the business world of farming, as well as the physical. Although he was chided and teased as being the ‘city boy' farmer, he never wavered in his passion to use the earth as he thought God intended.
As each year passed, and he acquired additional credit, purchased machinery, and held fast to his dream, he was able to farm the acreage surrounding his grandmother's home place, as well as make land purchases on his own. The confines of the factory work was not his idea of work, so he left that job and kept his focus on farming, as well as getting into the cattle business. His endurance and ‘never give up' attitude was evident one spring when the ground was too saturated by heavy spring rain for equipment in the field, he chose to set by hand over 3 acres of tobacco.
Needless to say, his neighbors were not surprised when his tobacco brought the highest price on the floor. The city farmer has achieved a well earned place among the Graves County farmers. His ties remained close to the Guthrie brothers until their death, and he knew had it not been for their passion and patience, he could not have succeeded.
When farming was not adequate to supply the needs of a family, he knew he needed to incorporate an additional job, and opted for the river industry. This would allow him to be outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the land, the strength of the river, and once again, pursue an endeavor he knew nothing about. From a non-experienced deckhand he achieved in less than four years, a tankersman license and earned a position as pilot with R & W Marine in Paducah. Although his goal was to be captain and retire in from the pilothouse, his river days were cut short by an abscess on his brain stem that left him disabled as well as battling other debilitating diseases.
His windows rattled with tunes of Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and the early days of Motown. He was proud to say he ran with Diana Ross's brother, and often saw Stevie Wonder singing on the street corners of Detroit. He taught himself guitar, and often enjoyed playing along with Jim Croce albums throughout the night. His conversations were filled with discussions of philosophy, religion and history. He studied the Bible thoroughly and joined the First Methodist Church in Mayfield. He opened his door and his heart for anyone down on their luck. He provided food and shelter for numerous people through the years, often sacrificing his own needs for theirs. As long as his body could hold out, he was active in missions work. He was passionate about education, and everyone being afforded one. One statement ran true, whenever he spoke of his impending transition from this world to the next; "I wasn't perfect, but I did the best I could.
A joint memorial service for Greg and his mother Nancy Owen will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, Ky., with the Rev. Joe Hansen officiating.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church, 214 South 8th street, Mayfield, KY 42066.
Nov 23, 2011
MAYFIELD — Mr. Gregory Alan Owen, age 57, of Mayfield, Ky., passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 5:59 a.m. at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, and a retired riverboat pilot.
Mr. Owen is survived by his two daughters, Whitney (Sam) LeBlanc of New York, N.Y., Megan (James) Guyette of Paducah, Ky.; one brother, Gary (Marion) Owen of Dimondale, Mich.; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Nancy Grayum Owen.
Greg left Detroit in the early 70's at age 18 and moved to Mayfield to live with his grandmother, Eula Clark Own of Dublin Road in Mayfield. He took up with neighbor brothers and farmers, Joe and James Guthrie, and began to learn what he called a "fine and noble profession", farming.
From sunrise til dusk he followed his mentors, and was an avid student of fertilizers, Internal Harvester, cattle, soybeans, and tobacco. Having earned the nick name "Chief" from the senior pair, he became the son they never had, and for him, the respect he had for the brothers was of the highest regard.
Taking on a temporary job at General Tire to subsidize his livelihood, the Guthrie brothers introduced him to the business world of farming, as well as the physical. Although he was chided and teased as being the ‘city boy' farmer, he never wavered in his passion to use the earth as he thought God intended.
As each year passed, and he acquired additional credit, purchased machinery, and held fast to his dream, he was able to farm the acreage surrounding his grandmother's home place, as well as make land purchases on his own. The confines of the factory work was not his idea of work, so he left that job and kept his focus on farming, as well as getting into the cattle business. His endurance and ‘never give up' attitude was evident one spring when the ground was too saturated by heavy spring rain for equipment in the field, he chose to set by hand over 3 acres of tobacco.
Needless to say, his neighbors were not surprised when his tobacco brought the highest price on the floor. The city farmer has achieved a well earned place among the Graves County farmers. His ties remained close to the Guthrie brothers until their death, and he knew had it not been for their passion and patience, he could not have succeeded.
When farming was not adequate to supply the needs of a family, he knew he needed to incorporate an additional job, and opted for the river industry. This would allow him to be outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the land, the strength of the river, and once again, pursue an endeavor he knew nothing about. From a non-experienced deckhand he achieved in less than four years, a tankersman license and earned a position as pilot with R & W Marine in Paducah. Although his goal was to be captain and retire in from the pilothouse, his river days were cut short by an abscess on his brain stem that left him disabled as well as battling other debilitating diseases.
His windows rattled with tunes of Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and the early days of Motown. He was proud to say he ran with Diana Ross's brother, and often saw Stevie Wonder singing on the street corners of Detroit. He taught himself guitar, and often enjoyed playing along with Jim Croce albums throughout the night. His conversations were filled with discussions of philosophy, religion and history. He studied the Bible thoroughly and joined the First Methodist Church in Mayfield. He opened his door and his heart for anyone down on their luck. He provided food and shelter for numerous people through the years, often sacrificing his own needs for theirs. As long as his body could hold out, he was active in missions work. He was passionate about education, and everyone being afforded one. One statement ran true, whenever he spoke of his impending transition from this world to the next; "I wasn't perfect, but I did the best I could.
A joint memorial service for Greg and his mother Nancy Owen will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, Ky., with the Rev. Joe Hansen officiating.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church, 214 South 8th street, Mayfield, KY 42066.
Obit from the Paducah Sun
Nov 23, 2011
MAYFIELD — Mr. Gregory Alan Owen, age 57, of Mayfield, Ky., passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 5:59 a.m. at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, and a retired riverboat pilot.
Mr. Owen is survived by his two daughters, Whitney (Sam) LeBlanc of New York, N.Y., Megan (James) Guyette of Paducah, Ky.; one brother, Gary (Marion) Owen of Dimondale, Mich.; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Nancy Grayum Owen.
Greg left Detroit in the early 70's at age 18 and moved to Mayfield to live with his grandmother, Eula Clark Own of Dublin Road in Mayfield. He took up with neighbor brothers and farmers, Joe and James Guthrie, and began to learn what he called a "fine and noble profession", farming.
From sunrise til dusk he followed his mentors, and was an avid student of fertilizers, Internal Harvester, cattle, soybeans, and tobacco. Having earned the nick name "Chief" from the senior pair, he became the son they never had, and for him, the respect he had for the brothers was of the highest regard.
Taking on a temporary job at General Tire to subsidize his livelihood, the Guthrie brothers introduced him to the business world of farming, as well as the physical. Although he was chided and teased as being the ‘city boy' farmer, he never wavered in his passion to use the earth as he thought God intended.
As each year passed, and he acquired additional credit, purchased machinery, and held fast to his dream, he was able to farm the acreage surrounding his grandmother's home place, as well as make land purchases on his own. The confines of the factory work was not his idea of work, so he left that job and kept his focus on farming, as well as getting into the cattle business. His endurance and ‘never give up' attitude was evident one spring when the ground was too saturated by heavy spring rain for equipment in the field, he chose to set by hand over 3 acres of tobacco.
Needless to say, his neighbors were not surprised when his tobacco brought the highest price on the floor. The city farmer has achieved a well earned place among the Graves County farmers. His ties remained close to the Guthrie brothers until their death, and he knew had it not been for their passion and patience, he could not have succeeded.
When farming was not adequate to supply the needs of a family, he knew he needed to incorporate an additional job, and opted for the river industry. This would allow him to be outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the land, the strength of the river, and once again, pursue an endeavor he knew nothing about. From a non-experienced deckhand he achieved in less than four years, a tankersman license and earned a position as pilot with R & W Marine in Paducah. Although his goal was to be captain and retire in from the pilothouse, his river days were cut short by an abscess on his brain stem that left him disabled as well as battling other debilitating diseases.
His windows rattled with tunes of Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and the early days of Motown. He was proud to say he ran with Diana Ross's brother, and often saw Stevie Wonder singing on the street corners of Detroit. He taught himself guitar, and often enjoyed playing along with Jim Croce albums throughout the night. His conversations were filled with discussions of philosophy, religion and history. He studied the Bible thoroughly and joined the First Methodist Church in Mayfield. He opened his door and his heart for anyone down on their luck. He provided food and shelter for numerous people through the years, often sacrificing his own needs for theirs. As long as his body could hold out, he was active in missions work. He was passionate about education, and everyone being afforded one. One statement ran true, whenever he spoke of his impending transition from this world to the next; "I wasn't perfect, but I did the best I could.
A joint memorial service for Greg and his mother Nancy Owen will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, Ky., with the Rev. Joe Hansen officiating.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church, 214 South 8th street, Mayfield, KY 42066.
Nov 23, 2011
MAYFIELD — Mr. Gregory Alan Owen, age 57, of Mayfield, Ky., passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 5:59 a.m. at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, and a retired riverboat pilot.
Mr. Owen is survived by his two daughters, Whitney (Sam) LeBlanc of New York, N.Y., Megan (James) Guyette of Paducah, Ky.; one brother, Gary (Marion) Owen of Dimondale, Mich.; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Nancy Grayum Owen.
Greg left Detroit in the early 70's at age 18 and moved to Mayfield to live with his grandmother, Eula Clark Own of Dublin Road in Mayfield. He took up with neighbor brothers and farmers, Joe and James Guthrie, and began to learn what he called a "fine and noble profession", farming.
From sunrise til dusk he followed his mentors, and was an avid student of fertilizers, Internal Harvester, cattle, soybeans, and tobacco. Having earned the nick name "Chief" from the senior pair, he became the son they never had, and for him, the respect he had for the brothers was of the highest regard.
Taking on a temporary job at General Tire to subsidize his livelihood, the Guthrie brothers introduced him to the business world of farming, as well as the physical. Although he was chided and teased as being the ‘city boy' farmer, he never wavered in his passion to use the earth as he thought God intended.
As each year passed, and he acquired additional credit, purchased machinery, and held fast to his dream, he was able to farm the acreage surrounding his grandmother's home place, as well as make land purchases on his own. The confines of the factory work was not his idea of work, so he left that job and kept his focus on farming, as well as getting into the cattle business. His endurance and ‘never give up' attitude was evident one spring when the ground was too saturated by heavy spring rain for equipment in the field, he chose to set by hand over 3 acres of tobacco.
Needless to say, his neighbors were not surprised when his tobacco brought the highest price on the floor. The city farmer has achieved a well earned place among the Graves County farmers. His ties remained close to the Guthrie brothers until their death, and he knew had it not been for their passion and patience, he could not have succeeded.
When farming was not adequate to supply the needs of a family, he knew he needed to incorporate an additional job, and opted for the river industry. This would allow him to be outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the land, the strength of the river, and once again, pursue an endeavor he knew nothing about. From a non-experienced deckhand he achieved in less than four years, a tankersman license and earned a position as pilot with R & W Marine in Paducah. Although his goal was to be captain and retire in from the pilothouse, his river days were cut short by an abscess on his brain stem that left him disabled as well as battling other debilitating diseases.
His windows rattled with tunes of Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and the early days of Motown. He was proud to say he ran with Diana Ross's brother, and often saw Stevie Wonder singing on the street corners of Detroit. He taught himself guitar, and often enjoyed playing along with Jim Croce albums throughout the night. His conversations were filled with discussions of philosophy, religion and history. He studied the Bible thoroughly and joined the First Methodist Church in Mayfield. He opened his door and his heart for anyone down on their luck. He provided food and shelter for numerous people through the years, often sacrificing his own needs for theirs. As long as his body could hold out, he was active in missions work. He was passionate about education, and everyone being afforded one. One statement ran true, whenever he spoke of his impending transition from this world to the next; "I wasn't perfect, but I did the best I could.
A joint memorial service for Greg and his mother Nancy Owen will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, Ky., with the Rev. Joe Hansen officiating.
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church, 214 South 8th street, Mayfield, KY 42066.
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