Melvin Dean Owen, 90, of Wichita, and formerly of Parsons, went to be with the Lord at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, November 19, 2015 at Catholic Care Center in Wichita.
He was born November 6, 1925 in Wichita, Kansas, to Archie Dewey Owen and Lura Maude (Mozingo) Owen. As a young boy, he moved with his family to Parsons, where he attended Garfield Elementary, East Junior High, was a 1943 graduate of Parsons High School, and later attended Parsons Business College.
As a young boy, he was taken to church by a neighbor, Mrs. Hughes. Later, he made the decision to accept Jesus Christ's gift of salvation and to live his life following Christ. This decision and turning point would affect every aspect of his life in the future. Others (family and friends) would be influenced by the way he lived out his faith.
At the age of 18, he was drafted into the United States Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific during WWII. He served on several ships, and was anchored off the coast of, or went ashore at, Okinawa, Philippines, Korea, China, Australia, and New Zealand.
On December 21, 1945, he married Leota Colleen Walker in Parsons. Early in their marriage, they lived in Norfolk, Virginia, until receiving his honorable discharge in 1946. At that time, they returned to Parsons where he worked at the M-K-T Railroad in the accounting office.
In 1950, he attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical studies in 1954. The couple then moved to Shelbyville, Tennessee where he pastored for four years. While living in Tennessee, he earned a Master's degree in education at Middle Tennessee State College, and taught high school in Shelbyville, Tennessee. They moved to Neodesha, Kansas, where he pastored for one year before moving to Chanute. He taught at Midway School in Buffalo, Kansas for one year. As an educator in Chanute, he was a teacher and principal at several schools, with his longest tenure at Murray Hill School from 1969 to 1985. In 1972, he earned an Education Specialist degree from Pittsburg State University. In 1988, Melvin retired from education. He pastored at the United Methodist Church in Maple Grove, Kansas for 30 years until retiring in March of 2001.
Melvin was a former member of the Assembly of God in Parsons, a life member of Brown-Bishop Post No. 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Parsons, and a life member of the American Legion in Chanute. For many years, he was a volunteer at AARP where he served as secretary. He was also a member of the Parsons Amateur Woodworkers Society (PAWS) where he served as president for two years and especially enjoyed making family Christmas gifts every year. While his wife was living, Melvin was also actively involved in a diabetic support group.
Survivors include:
Children – Kathryn Ann Gray Wichita, KS
Rebecca Jean Rapp and her husband, John Gardner, KS
Patricia Colleen Owen Wichita, KS
Jonathan Daniel Owen and his wife, Patricia St. Louis, MO
Seven Grandchildren – Jennifer Gray Brannon and her husband, John
Michael Edward Gray
Melissa Rapp Swartz and her husband, Ben
Cynthia Rapp Sandhu and her husband, Faraz
Garrett Walker Owen
Lauren Elizabeth Owen
Benjamin Grant Owen
Nine Great-Grandchildren – Hannah Elizabeth Gray
Hailey Lynn Gray
Katelyn Elizabeth Brannon
Luke Owen Brannon
Emily Rose Brannon
Christopher Jacob Swartz
Alexandra Kirsten Swartz
Nathanial Joshua Swartz
Zaira Noor Sandhu
He was preceded in death by his wife, Leota Colleen Owen, on January 24, 2002; a son-in-law, Charles E. (Edward) Gray, on January 24, 2013; and a sister, Wanda Jean Close, in November of 2013.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7-8:00 p.m., Monday, November 23, 2015, at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to The Gideons International and The Chanute USD 413 Foundation (for the Melvin Owen Scholarship Fund). These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Melvin Dean Owen, please visit our flower store.
He was born November 6, 1925 in Wichita, Kansas, to Archie Dewey Owen and Lura Maude (Mozingo) Owen. As a young boy, he moved with his family to Parsons, where he attended Garfield Elementary, East Junior High, was a 1943 graduate of Parsons High School, and later attended Parsons Business College.
As a young boy, he was taken to church by a neighbor, Mrs. Hughes. Later, he made the decision to accept Jesus Christ's gift of salvation and to live his life following Christ. This decision and turning point would affect every aspect of his life in the future. Others (family and friends) would be influenced by the way he lived out his faith.
At the age of 18, he was drafted into the United States Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific during WWII. He served on several ships, and was anchored off the coast of, or went ashore at, Okinawa, Philippines, Korea, China, Australia, and New Zealand.
On December 21, 1945, he married Leota Colleen Walker in Parsons. Early in their marriage, they lived in Norfolk, Virginia, until receiving his honorable discharge in 1946. At that time, they returned to Parsons where he worked at the M-K-T Railroad in the accounting office.
In 1950, he attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical studies in 1954. The couple then moved to Shelbyville, Tennessee where he pastored for four years. While living in Tennessee, he earned a Master's degree in education at Middle Tennessee State College, and taught high school in Shelbyville, Tennessee. They moved to Neodesha, Kansas, where he pastored for one year before moving to Chanute. He taught at Midway School in Buffalo, Kansas for one year. As an educator in Chanute, he was a teacher and principal at several schools, with his longest tenure at Murray Hill School from 1969 to 1985. In 1972, he earned an Education Specialist degree from Pittsburg State University. In 1988, Melvin retired from education. He pastored at the United Methodist Church in Maple Grove, Kansas for 30 years until retiring in March of 2001.
Melvin was a former member of the Assembly of God in Parsons, a life member of Brown-Bishop Post No. 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Parsons, and a life member of the American Legion in Chanute. For many years, he was a volunteer at AARP where he served as secretary. He was also a member of the Parsons Amateur Woodworkers Society (PAWS) where he served as president for two years and especially enjoyed making family Christmas gifts every year. While his wife was living, Melvin was also actively involved in a diabetic support group.
Survivors include:
Children – Kathryn Ann Gray Wichita, KS
Rebecca Jean Rapp and her husband, John Gardner, KS
Patricia Colleen Owen Wichita, KS
Jonathan Daniel Owen and his wife, Patricia St. Louis, MO
Seven Grandchildren – Jennifer Gray Brannon and her husband, John
Michael Edward Gray
Melissa Rapp Swartz and her husband, Ben
Cynthia Rapp Sandhu and her husband, Faraz
Garrett Walker Owen
Lauren Elizabeth Owen
Benjamin Grant Owen
Nine Great-Grandchildren – Hannah Elizabeth Gray
Hailey Lynn Gray
Katelyn Elizabeth Brannon
Luke Owen Brannon
Emily Rose Brannon
Christopher Jacob Swartz
Alexandra Kirsten Swartz
Nathanial Joshua Swartz
Zaira Noor Sandhu
He was preceded in death by his wife, Leota Colleen Owen, on January 24, 2002; a son-in-law, Charles E. (Edward) Gray, on January 24, 2013; and a sister, Wanda Jean Close, in November of 2013.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7-8:00 p.m., Monday, November 23, 2015, at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to The Gideons International and The Chanute USD 413 Foundation (for the Melvin Owen Scholarship Fund). These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Melvin Dean Owen, please visit our flower store.
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