Danny Lewis Owen

Danny Lewis Owen, born July 31, 1934, in Princeton, Missouri passed away peacefully February 13, 2026 leaving behind a legacy of faith, family, service and community.

Danny grew up on a farm near Princeton, Missouri where he enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a lifeguard at the community pool. After graduation from Ravanna high school in 1952, he spent two adventurous years working in a carnival in Birmingham, Alabama. Seeking new direction, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1954. While in the Naval Reserve, the Air Force recruited him, and he served from 1956 to 1958 as an Intelligence Operations Specialist with Strategic Air Command in the 308th Refueling Squadron. He served under Wing Commander Paul Tibbets, the renowned officer who piloted the B-29 Enola Gay during the historic mission over Hiroshima. His military service was a chapter that Danny carried with great pride.

Following his military years, Danny pursued higher education at the University of Missouri in Columbia, graduating in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He was a member of Delta Sigma PI, a business fraternity, where he was President his senior year. While attending school in Columbia, Danny met his beloved wife, Phyllis whom he married in 1960. After graduation, they relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, where they made their home and raised their family.

Danny started his career with Mobil Oil in Kansas City before spending 23 years with UARCO, where he started in sales and became the sales manager. In 1987 Danny decided to start his own business, Owen Business Forms. His wife, his son Todd and his daughter DeAnne joined him in the business and Todd still operates it today.

He was a Mason and Shriner, serving proudly as a member of the Clown unit, bringing joy and laughter to countless events. For many years, he dedicated himself to Scouting as an active Boy Scout Leader in Troop 272 and later served as their Commission Chair, guiding and inspiring young men with his wisdom and commitment. A man of deep faith, Danny loved the Lord and served faithfully as a deacon and elder at Antioch Community Church and also sang in the choir.

Danny was dedicated to his family and never missed any of the children’s activities, something that continued with his grandchildren later in life. He enjoyed traveling with his family and they often traveled out West, camping and exploring the state parks and mountains. He and Phyllis continued to travel across the US and Canada after Danny retired, often with friends.

When Danny retired, one of his passions became cycling. He would regularly ride 20-30 miles and once rode the entire Katy Trail from Clinton, Missouri to Illinois. Danny was also dedicated to doing genealogy research about his family. During their travels, he would often include visits to discover and meet distant relatives. He was able to document the family history back to the early 1800’s.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ollen and Etta Owen, brother Stephen Owen and sister Bettilu Driskell and is survived by sister Kathy Brown. He is also survived by his wife of 65 years Phyllis, along with their three children: Todd Owen (Nicole), Phil Owen (Gentiana), and DeAnne Denney (Matt). He was a devoted grandfather to Tanner Owen, Dawson Owen, Lauren-Ashleigh Whitaker (Ryan), Ellysa Ziegler (John), Austin Denney (Anna), Spencer Denney, and Braeden Denney; and great-grandfather to Noah Whitaker, Dallas Ziegler, and Winston Ziegler.

Danny’s life was marked by duty, family devotion, and generous community spirit. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him and remembered for his warmth, humor, and steadfast love of family.

A service will be held on Saturday, February 28 at 1:00 at Antioch Community Church, 4805 NE Antioch Road, Kansas City, MO 64119 with a reception to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to Antioch Community Church or the Salvation Army in memory of Danny Owen.

The family would like to thank Residential Hospice along with the wonderful nurses and staff at Tiffany Springs Senior Living Community for the affectionate care they provided.