Owen passed away on January 30, 2019. Born in Oregon in 1930, the majority of Owen’s youth was spent moving throughout the United States as his father was an aviation pioneer who helped found United Air Lines. Owen attended Sequoia Union High School in Redwood City, California where he met his wife Dorothy and was involved in school activities and sports.

Owen attended San Jose State College majoring in Fine Art. Dorothy also attended San Jose State majoring in Education. They married their junior year and graduated in 1952. Owen then entered Stanford University and obtained a Masters’ Degree in Fine Art in Watercolor in 1953. He then spent two years in the Army Engineers at Fort Carson and Camp Hale, Colorado.

After his discharge, Owen worked as a draftsman and on a construction survey crew for a civil engineering company. He later worked for a home designer and a national commercial construction company becoming Vice President of Sales. In 1973, he and his family moved to Mercer Island, Washington, where he served as Vice President of Coldwell Banker’s Development Division for the Northwest through 1975. He continued to work until 1989.

Throughout Owen’s working years, he maintained his love of watercolor painting. He started painting again in earnest after attending Vernon Nye’s Watercolor Workshop in Yachats, Oregon in 1988. He became a member of the Puget Sound Group of Northwest Painters, Northwest Watercolor Society, the Eastside Fine Arts Association and the Mercer Island Visual Arts League. He loved teaching watercolor workshops and classes. Owen hoped he would be remembered for his watercolors, painted mainly of the Northwest in a way that viewers would feel the beauty and restfulness of the area.

Owen is survived by his three children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Dorothy, his wife of 66 years.

A celebration of Owen’s life will be held at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church 3605 84th Ave SE, Mercer Island on Friday February 22 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer Society www.cancer.org.