Daughter of Antonio Cruz and Maria Dos Dord (Alves) Cruz. Both her parents' families immigrated to the eastern U.S. from the Cape Verde Islands at the turn of the 20th century. Her parents died early, and she and her siblings were raised with her aunts and uncles by their maternal grandparents, Antone Alves and Mary DaLuz Lopes Alves in Mattapoisett, MA. Her first language was Portuguese Creole; she learned English as a second language in school. She dropped out of school in the eighth grade and forged her work permit to begin working at a military defense plant. She married very early and through two marriages, to Edgar Sherman Moore II (U.S. Navy) and Willie E Owens Sr. (US Army) had five sons by the age of 28. She and her second husband moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 1961 with the Army and were stationed at Ft. Ord. Through work as a private duty nurse, she purchased her home in Seaside, CA in December of 1968. In 1969, she began working as a community liaison at Seaside High School, and as a single parent, she worked and raised her sons. She returned to school and earned her teaching and counseling credentials.

She earned a Master's Degree in Counseling in 1975 from San Jose State University. She worked for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) for over thirty-five years and served as Dean of Students, counselor and administrator at Seaside High School, Martin Luther King Middle School in Seaside and Los Arboles Middle School in Marina, CA. The Monterey Bay Teachers Association has an award entitled, "The Mary C Owens Award" which is given annually to an educator who, through his or her own selfless spirit, enhances the lives of others. She was awarded the Outstanding Volunteer – NAACP, Certificate of Recognition – Toastmasters of Marina, Outstanding Educator Award – City of Marina, ("Yesterday's" Courage Award) – Monterey Bay LINKS, Inc.,and was named one of ten "Outstanding Women in Monterey County" for the year 2002. In 2019, she was awarded the President's Award from the Monterey branch of the NAACP. Upon her retirement in 2004, she purchased her childhood home in Mattapoisett, MA. After returning permanently to the Monterey Peninsula in early 2018, she worked with small children at the Village Project in Seaside.

Preceding her in death were her son, Michael Jeffrey Moore-Owens; daughter-in-law, Mattie Lavender Moore; sister, Adeline Cruz Gatewood; brother, Antone "Noonie" Cruz; youngest aunt, Benvinda Alves Lobo; uncles, Manual Alves, Johnny Alves, Baptiste Alves, Antone Alves; aunts Joanna Alves Tavares, and Clara Alves. Surviving are her four sons, Edgar Sherman Moore III (Trisha), Phoenix AZ, Robert Joseph Moore (Linda), Seaside, CA, William Kent Owens (Carol), and Willie Edward Owens Jr (Min) – both of Sacramento, CA; ten grandchildren, Maria Matice Moore, Detroit, MI, Edgar Isaac Moore (Lisa), Phoenix, AZ, Jessica Rosalien Owens, Monique L Owens, Jordan Keith Owens (Shannon), and Macie Dunwar Owens Young (Eric) - all of Sacramento, CA, Desiree Moore Bobadilla (Ralph), Salinas, CA, Jane Cruz Moore Bentley (Zach), Tucson, AZ, Mara DaLuz Owens Bernado (Eric), Stockton, CA, and Robert James Moore, Marina, CA; and thirteen great grandchildren, Gabriel, London, Myles, Camden, Ryleigh, Morrigan, Zoe-Lynn, Mattie, Mila, Marlino, Jaxten, Eric Benjamin, and Zaria.