Charles William Owen

Charles William Owen, 86, of Waverly, TN, passed away Saturday, December 22 at Waverly Healthcare. Mr. Owen, a native of Henry County, was born June 1, 1932, to the late Dorris Owen and Irene Forrester Reynolds Owen. He was an avid Vols fan, having graduated from UT-Knoxville in 1954 with B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering, after which he served two years in the U.S. Army. He left employment at International Harvester, Memphis, to work for DuPont in New Johnsonville for 32 years. At retirement, he was Superintendent of Employee Relations. An avid runner and tennis player, Mr. Owen qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon in 1983. He enjoyed being a member of the Waverly Lions Club, breeding Welsh Mountain ponies, and English Setters with which he hunted quail. He read hundreds of books. He best expressed himself and his belief in God in the several books of poetry that he wrote. In addition to his parents, Mr. Owen was preceded in death by a brother, Alvin Reynolds, of Hood River, Oregon, and a sister, Madelon Aune, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jo Chester Owen; daughter Lea Carol Owen (and fiance Michael Hall), of Nashville and Bell Buckle, TN and Maidenhead, England; son Jonathan Charles Owen (and Juliette White), of Salt Lake City, Utah; three grandchildren: Alice Kelsey Chester Owen Lewis of Gainesville, Florida, and William and Benjamin Owen of Salt Lake City, UT, and beloved nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the United way of Benton and Humphreys County.