Hubert Owens

Long-time Oak Ridger and World War II Veteran

Hubert Owens, age 91, son of George L. and Lula Owens, passed away on Oct. 19, 2013.

Mr. Owens was born in Crenshaw County, Ala., on Nov. 14, 1921. He was a former employee of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Technical Information Branch, where he worked for 30 years until his retirement on Feb. 28, 1983.

Mr. Owens served in the U.S. Navy 40 months at the Pearl Harbor Submarine Base, and with Admiral Bull Halsey’s Third Fleet in the first Naval bombardment of the Japanese mainland on the USS Chicago, a Baltimore Class heavy cruiser, during World War II.

Mr. Owens formerly worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an agent when he and his newlywed bride, Reba Inez Owens, first came to Oak Ridge in December 1948. Later, in 1949, he became manager of the Reserve Life Insurance Company of Dallas, Texas, in Oak Ridge.

Mr. Owens is survived by daughter Linda J. Lipinski and her husband Richard M. Lipinski of Nokomis, Fla.; son David Owens and his wife Saronda Owens of Mt. Juliet, Tenn.; and other survivors include granddaughter Karen Stone and her husband Dr. Jeff Stone of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter Stephanie Karr and her husband Ted Karr of Sherwood, Ore.: eight great-grandchildren, Luke, Audrey, Hannah, and Jack Stone of Dallas, and Madison, Kallista, Joshua, and Caleb Karr of Sherwood; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife and five brothers and sisters.

Mr. Owens was a longstanding member of New Life Church of The Nazarene in Oak Ridge.

The funeral service will be conducted by Pastor Keith Robinson in the chapel of Weatherford Mortuary on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

The family requests that any memorials be in the form of donations to the Building Fund at New Life Church of The Nazarene, 200 Lafayette Drive, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

The family will receive friends Tuesday from 12 p.m.–2 p.m. at Weatherford Mortuary. An online guest book may be signed at weatherfordmortuary.com.

Mr. Owens loved the Lord Jesus Christ and is looking forward to meeting loved ones in Heaven.