1922
BIll
2015
BIll Owens
February 23, 1922 — March 27, 2015
JOHN WILLIAM “BILL” OWENS, age 93, of Amarillo died March 27, 2015 in Amarillo.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church. His son, Dr. Tim Owens along with Rev. Nate McLoughlin will officiate. A private burial will be held at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 South Georgia.
Bill Owens was born to Roy Edwin and Rosalie Owens on February 23, 1922. He grew up in Tyler, Texas, graduating from Tyler High School. Bill earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University, where he was also a scholarship tennis player. He earned a Masters in Music degree from Baylor University, where he was also able to play his final year of tennis eligibility. Bill completed courses at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary during two summer terms.
Bill's teaching career included the following: Assistant Band Director and Music Methods Instructor at Baylor University; Band Director at Gonzales ISD; Band & Orchestra Director at Marshall ISD; Band & Orchestra Director at Sam Houston Junior High in Amarillo ISD; Professor of Brass Methods at Hardin-Simmons University; and Instructor in Applied Trumpet at Interlochen National Music Camp.
The Lord was always faithful to provide Bill with opportunities for service in local church ministry: Music Ministry at Central Baptist Church in Marshall, Texas and at First Baptist Church, Marshall, Texas, where he was ordained as a deacon; Music Ministry at Tascosa Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas; Music Ministry at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas; Music & Education Ministries at Belmont Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas; Education Ministry at Temple Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas; and Adult Education/Missions Ministries at Trinity Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas.
Bill treasured the numerous platforms of showcasing his ability in trumpet performance – 336 AFB in Waco, Texas during World War II; Bands & Orchestras at L.S.U. and Baylor; San Antonio Symphony; Baton Rouge Symphony; Shreveport Symphony; Amarillo Symphony; and the Abilene Philharmonic. One of the highlights of Bill’s performance career was the summer he studied trumpet with Louis Davidson at the University of Indiana during the summer of 1963, when he performed with the IU Orchestra and Opera at the New York World’s Fair.
Bill was a World War II veteran, stationed at Waco Army Air Field; Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas; and Boca Raton, Florida Air Force Base.
Bill’s professional associations included Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity; Phi Mu Alpha National Music Fraternity; Board Member of Faith City Ministries; and Member of the Gideon’s.
Bill was quick to give God praise for the many people who influenced him toward Christ. He would say that the people who most influenced him were: Dorothie Mae Rapier, his wife of 54 years (married Jul 14, 1945); Leon Rapier; Dr. George Newman; Dr. Joe Temple; and Todd Hill. As the years passed, Bill was grateful for the way the Lord made His presence known in the lives and ministries of his three sons, as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was also thankful for the gift of love and companionship he shared with Bettie Owens, from 2001 to the present, following the passing of Dorothie in 1999.
Other strong spiritual influences in Bill’s life include Bible Memory Association, through which the entire Owens family memorized scripture; Navigator Discipleship Ministry; Teaching at National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan (Bill loved to refer to this as the NMC Bible Conference mainly from the Godly influences of so many faculty members and Dr. George Wilson, the Director of NMC).
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mary Charske; his wife, Dorothie Mae Owens; and a greatgrandson, Chad Ryan Garcez.
He is survived by his wife, Bettie Owens, along with Bettie’s children, Cheryl and Robert Bell and Annette and Shah Aziz – and Bettie’s grandchildren, Patrick and Kathryn, Thomas, Emily, Charles, and Audrey and her daughter, Alieah; his three sons – Steve and Jane Owens of Fayetteville, Georgia; Barry and Francene Owens of Pampa, Texas; and Tim and Debbie Owens of Iola, Texas; his nine grandchildren – Matt Owens and his wife Miranda, Holly Lucas and her husband Josh, Timothy Owens and his wife Ali, Lindsey Garcez and her husband Jerry, Sheryl Nelson and her husband Michael, Christina Owens, David Owens and his wife Anna, Mark Owens, and Rebecca Owens; his seven great-grandchildren – Caeden, Addi, Bella, Nathan, Elizabeth, Harper, and Natalie; and nieces and nephews – LeeAnn Burrus, Mike Charske, Karen Davis, and Matthew Charske.
The family requests that memorials be given to Amarillo Navigators % Bruce Das, 6122 Hanson, Amarillo, Tx 79106; Faith City Mission, 401 SE 2nd, Amarillo, Tx 79101 or online at faithcity.org; Gideons, P. O. Box 2304, Amarillo, Tx 79105
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church. His son, Dr. Tim Owens along with Rev. Nate McLoughlin will officiate. A private burial will be held at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 South Georgia.
Bill Owens was born to Roy Edwin and Rosalie Owens on February 23, 1922. He grew up in Tyler, Texas, graduating from Tyler High School. Bill earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University, where he was also a scholarship tennis player. He earned a Masters in Music degree from Baylor University, where he was also able to play his final year of tennis eligibility. Bill completed courses at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary during two summer terms.
Bill's teaching career included the following: Assistant Band Director and Music Methods Instructor at Baylor University; Band Director at Gonzales ISD; Band & Orchestra Director at Marshall ISD; Band & Orchestra Director at Sam Houston Junior High in Amarillo ISD; Professor of Brass Methods at Hardin-Simmons University; and Instructor in Applied Trumpet at Interlochen National Music Camp.
The Lord was always faithful to provide Bill with opportunities for service in local church ministry: Music Ministry at Central Baptist Church in Marshall, Texas and at First Baptist Church, Marshall, Texas, where he was ordained as a deacon; Music Ministry at Tascosa Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas; Music Ministry at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas; Music & Education Ministries at Belmont Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas; Education Ministry at Temple Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas; and Adult Education/Missions Ministries at Trinity Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas.
Bill treasured the numerous platforms of showcasing his ability in trumpet performance – 336 AFB in Waco, Texas during World War II; Bands & Orchestras at L.S.U. and Baylor; San Antonio Symphony; Baton Rouge Symphony; Shreveport Symphony; Amarillo Symphony; and the Abilene Philharmonic. One of the highlights of Bill’s performance career was the summer he studied trumpet with Louis Davidson at the University of Indiana during the summer of 1963, when he performed with the IU Orchestra and Opera at the New York World’s Fair.
Bill was a World War II veteran, stationed at Waco Army Air Field; Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas; and Boca Raton, Florida Air Force Base.
Bill’s professional associations included Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity; Phi Mu Alpha National Music Fraternity; Board Member of Faith City Ministries; and Member of the Gideon’s.
Bill was quick to give God praise for the many people who influenced him toward Christ. He would say that the people who most influenced him were: Dorothie Mae Rapier, his wife of 54 years (married Jul 14, 1945); Leon Rapier; Dr. George Newman; Dr. Joe Temple; and Todd Hill. As the years passed, Bill was grateful for the way the Lord made His presence known in the lives and ministries of his three sons, as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was also thankful for the gift of love and companionship he shared with Bettie Owens, from 2001 to the present, following the passing of Dorothie in 1999.
Other strong spiritual influences in Bill’s life include Bible Memory Association, through which the entire Owens family memorized scripture; Navigator Discipleship Ministry; Teaching at National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan (Bill loved to refer to this as the NMC Bible Conference mainly from the Godly influences of so many faculty members and Dr. George Wilson, the Director of NMC).
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mary Charske; his wife, Dorothie Mae Owens; and a greatgrandson, Chad Ryan Garcez.
He is survived by his wife, Bettie Owens, along with Bettie’s children, Cheryl and Robert Bell and Annette and Shah Aziz – and Bettie’s grandchildren, Patrick and Kathryn, Thomas, Emily, Charles, and Audrey and her daughter, Alieah; his three sons – Steve and Jane Owens of Fayetteville, Georgia; Barry and Francene Owens of Pampa, Texas; and Tim and Debbie Owens of Iola, Texas; his nine grandchildren – Matt Owens and his wife Miranda, Holly Lucas and her husband Josh, Timothy Owens and his wife Ali, Lindsey Garcez and her husband Jerry, Sheryl Nelson and her husband Michael, Christina Owens, David Owens and his wife Anna, Mark Owens, and Rebecca Owens; his seven great-grandchildren – Caeden, Addi, Bella, Nathan, Elizabeth, Harper, and Natalie; and nieces and nephews – LeeAnn Burrus, Mike Charske, Karen Davis, and Matthew Charske.
The family requests that memorials be given to Amarillo Navigators % Bruce Das, 6122 Hanson, Amarillo, Tx 79106; Faith City Mission, 401 SE 2nd, Amarillo, Tx 79101 or online at faithcity.org; Gideons, P. O. Box 2304, Amarillo, Tx 79105
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