James Milton Owen

James Milton Owen (Jim), 82, died peacefully on December 16, 2025 at his home in
Hanover, New Hampshire. His doctors referred to him as a "miracle man" who had survived two major cardiac events, the most recent of which occurred mid-November.

Born and raised in Chicago to John "Jack" Henry Owen and Arline Van Buren Owen, Jim spent most of his life in New England. He majored in economics at Yale and afterwards earned a law degree from Harvard. His first job was as a speechwriter at the State Department, where among other objectionable tasks, he wrote a speech for President Nixon on world peace through world law. He then taught math and economics for two years at the Cambridge School
of Weston, where he met his wife Suzanne, whom he married in 1973. Next, he worked for Prudential Insurance's law department in Boston. Deciding that he preferred to be the captain of his own ship, he purchased Chart Kit/Better Boating Association and grew the business steadily from 1978 to 1995. The company published regional Chart Kits to help boaters navigate more
easily. Chart Kits were available covering the entire coast of the United States, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. Entrepreneurial and collaborative, Jim was also a part owner of Riverside Press in Rockland, Massachusetts, Spectrum Asset Management and Boatscape in Boston, and Up Harbor Marina in Bass Harbor, Maine. He loved partnerships with friends, memorably as part-owner of East of Eden in Bar Harbor and several classic boats over the
decades.

Jim and Suzanne purchased their first home in Lexington, Massachusetts in 1974, and their daughter Hilary was born in 1978. Six weeks later, the three Owens cruised down the intercoastal waterway from Connecticut to Florida. The Five Fields neighborhood community in Lexington was an idyllic place to call home. The family spent lots of time sailing and cruising out of Marion, Massachusetts to destinations such as Quisset, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket.
Beyond sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing, Jim loved playing tennis, squash and golf. Hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing with every fresh snowfall were also favorite pastimes. An enthusiastic amateur pianist who loved meeting and encouraging young aspiring professional musicians, Jim hosted numerous house concerts in Lexington and in Maine. His love of music led him to join the board of overseers at New England Conservatory, where Hilary played with
the Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble and the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. He and Suzanne mentored many young international students from New England Conservatory and The College of the Atlantic after retiring to Maine in 2003.

Jim's and Suzanne's love of French, Spanish, and Italian spurred them to travel widely. They had lots of fun in Europe, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Martinique, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands.

Acadia National Park was one of Jim's favorite places to explore. Together with Suzanne and Hilary and their many friends, he regularly took in the magnificent ocean views from every part of Mount Desert Island, preferably hosting a boatful and anchoring for a swim and a picnic
near a picturesque island far from the madding crowds. When on land, he insisted on having an ocean view, which he often enjoyed at the Bar Harbor Yacht Club and the Causeway Club tennis courts and golf course. He is remembered exclaiming, "Is this beautiful, or is this
beautiful?" and "Look at the light on the seaweed." A born perfectionist, Jim meticulously maintained his houses, boats, cars, and lawns. At home, he was a genial host who loved to entertain dear friends in style. Jim was a gentleman with a generous spirit and a devoted husband, father, and friend.

He is survived by his wife Suzanne, daughter Hilary Goldblatt, her husband Noah Goldblatt, grandsons Rowan James Goldblatt and Wilson David Goldblatt, older brother Charles V. Owen and wife Connie, his twin, William M. Owen and wife Linn, four nieces, and three nephews.

We wish our captain fair winds and following seas.

A celebration of life will be held in summer 2026.