Roll Call Tribute
Richard Owens '70 June 16, 2014 10:03 AM
(Published in) Waco Tribune (on) June 15, 2014
Owens, Richard S.
Richard Steven Owens
Richard Steven "Dick" Owens, 66, of Valley Mills, passed away at home. He won the good race and was united with our Lord and Savior, Saturday, June 14, 2014, fixed - made new and free of cancer. Services will be 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, at First United Methodist Church 303 S. Ave E. Clifton, with Pastor Reed Justus officiating. Interment will follow at Clifton Cemetery. Visitation will be 6 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, June 16, at Clifton Funeral Home.
Dick, number one son of four boys, was born to O.O. and Doris Owens, January 3, 1948, at Hillcrest Hospital in Waco. He lived with the family on Roselawn Street in Waco, attending Crestview Elementary. In the early 60's, the family moved to Valley Mills, while his Dad continued the used car lot business in Waco on Franklin Avenue. Dick and his brothers grew up with a love of cars, which turned into a life-long passion for all four boys.
Time spent growing up in Valley Mills was good and fun for Dick, providing a happy and safe small-town atmosphere of activities in school, football, baseball, hay hauling, wonderful friend-ships and knowing everybody. He was a 1966 Valley Mills High School graduate, a 1970 graduate of Texas A&M University. Gig 'Em! June 20, 1970, he married his high school sweetheart, Billye Carol Sanders, of Mosheim. To this union, God blessed them with a son, Steven Kyle and a daughter, Stacy Lee.
Fresh out of college as a mechanical engineer, he worked for Frymire Engineering, Dallas, and obtaining his Professional Engineer license. 1977 brought him back to Waco, running his own mechanical engineering company, Waco Systems, Inc. As a young business owner with long and hard hours of work, the family lived near the company. For enjoyment and relaxation, he and the family spent a lot of time at their farm near Mosheim, and if time allowed, the mountains of Colorado was a favorite spot too. In 1988, he built a home near Mosheim, Valley Mills and moved the family to the country. Dick sold his company in 2008 to Brandt Engr., working there for three years. In 2011, he worked at Capstone Mechanical to the present where work was fun and enjoyable, doing what he liked best, being an Engineer, without all the headaches and worry of running a business. Just the other day, I heard him say, "I probably would have worked without pay." He especially enjoyed being a mentor to the many young engineers at Capstone, teaching and sharing with them the 40+ years of his engineering experiences and knowledge.
Transferring his church membership in 1999 from First United Methodist, Waco, to First United Methodist, Clifton, Dick continued on his journey of being a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ. He served as a lead usher and on many committees liking best using his God given talent fixing things around the church, especially mechanical. His children remember, even in their young years, that when something broke, Dad had a happy gleam in his eyes to fix the broken, making it even better than before.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Willie and Lee Sanders; brother, number two son, Randy, May 2013; and a nephew, Michael.
He is survived by his wife, Billye Carol; son, Steven and wife, Jennifer; grandson, Braden; granddaughter, Cora Grace of Hewitt; daughter, Stacy of Mosheim; his brothers, Bob, number three, and Ronny, number four; Kay of Valley Mills; sister-in-law, Sandra Owens of Edmond, Oklahoma; Aunt, Martha; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Nancy and Jim Broyles of Mesquite; special nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and his church family.
To everyone from the family, "The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad." Ps. 126:3
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First United Methodist Church, PO Box 529, Clifton, TX, 76634; Valley Mills ISD Education Foundation, PO Box 126, Valley Mills, 76689.
Clifton Funeral Home, 254-675-8611
1948 - 2014
Sign the Guest Book at www.wacotrib.com
Owens, Richard S.
Richard Steven Owens
Richard Steven "Dick" Owens, 66, of Valley Mills, passed away at home. He won the good race and was united with our Lord and Savior, Saturday, June 14, 2014, fixed - made new and free of cancer. Services will be 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, at First United Methodist Church 303 S. Ave E. Clifton, with Pastor Reed Justus officiating. Interment will follow at Clifton Cemetery. Visitation will be 6 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, June 16, at Clifton Funeral Home.
Dick, number one son of four boys, was born to O.O. and Doris Owens, January 3, 1948, at Hillcrest Hospital in Waco. He lived with the family on Roselawn Street in Waco, attending Crestview Elementary. In the early 60's, the family moved to Valley Mills, while his Dad continued the used car lot business in Waco on Franklin Avenue. Dick and his brothers grew up with a love of cars, which turned into a life-long passion for all four boys.
Time spent growing up in Valley Mills was good and fun for Dick, providing a happy and safe small-town atmosphere of activities in school, football, baseball, hay hauling, wonderful friend-ships and knowing everybody. He was a 1966 Valley Mills High School graduate, a 1970 graduate of Texas A&M University. Gig 'Em! June 20, 1970, he married his high school sweetheart, Billye Carol Sanders, of Mosheim. To this union, God blessed them with a son, Steven Kyle and a daughter, Stacy Lee.
Fresh out of college as a mechanical engineer, he worked for Frymire Engineering, Dallas, and obtaining his Professional Engineer license. 1977 brought him back to Waco, running his own mechanical engineering company, Waco Systems, Inc. As a young business owner with long and hard hours of work, the family lived near the company. For enjoyment and relaxation, he and the family spent a lot of time at their farm near Mosheim, and if time allowed, the mountains of Colorado was a favorite spot too. In 1988, he built a home near Mosheim, Valley Mills and moved the family to the country. Dick sold his company in 2008 to Brandt Engr., working there for three years. In 2011, he worked at Capstone Mechanical to the present where work was fun and enjoyable, doing what he liked best, being an Engineer, without all the headaches and worry of running a business. Just the other day, I heard him say, "I probably would have worked without pay." He especially enjoyed being a mentor to the many young engineers at Capstone, teaching and sharing with them the 40+ years of his engineering experiences and knowledge.
Transferring his church membership in 1999 from First United Methodist, Waco, to First United Methodist, Clifton, Dick continued on his journey of being a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ. He served as a lead usher and on many committees liking best using his God given talent fixing things around the church, especially mechanical. His children remember, even in their young years, that when something broke, Dad had a happy gleam in his eyes to fix the broken, making it even better than before.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Willie and Lee Sanders; brother, number two son, Randy, May 2013; and a nephew, Michael.
He is survived by his wife, Billye Carol; son, Steven and wife, Jennifer; grandson, Braden; granddaughter, Cora Grace of Hewitt; daughter, Stacy of Mosheim; his brothers, Bob, number three, and Ronny, number four; Kay of Valley Mills; sister-in-law, Sandra Owens of Edmond, Oklahoma; Aunt, Martha; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Nancy and Jim Broyles of Mesquite; special nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and his church family.
To everyone from the family, "The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad." Ps. 126:3
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First United Methodist Church, PO Box 529, Clifton, TX, 76634; Valley Mills ISD Education Foundation, PO Box 126, Valley Mills, 76689.
Clifton Funeral Home, 254-675-8611
1948 - 2014
Sign the Guest Book at www.wacotrib.com
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