Richard Thomas Owens

Dr. Richard Thomas “Dick” Owens, age 93, of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away on September 6, 2025, at the Good Samaritan Care Facility in Le Mars.

Richard Owens lived his life with the belief that faith in Christ and service to country must be lived through the action of helping others not merely quoting scripture, being the loudest voice in the room, or putting inflammatory bumper stickers on your car. Richard Owens was always a fighter, whether fighting for his own education – fighting for his country – or fighting for the rights of the intellectually and physically disabled. He never stopped fighting. Well into his 90’s, he not only fought things like a bad heart and Parkinsons Disease, but also was still fighting bad government, and political trends – both local and national - that seem to not much care about the rights of all people nor the word of Jesus. While he lost considerably more battles than he won, the losses never deterred his calling – to always do for others. Richard’s tenacity, love for community, and care for all people should be an inspiration to all who knew him or take the time to read his lengthy obituary. The Siouxland community has lost a fighter, and his family is hopeful that the good works that Dr. Richard Owens championed will find a new generation of fighters who believe that all people deserve access, equality, and the opportunity to thrive.

Early Life

Richard was born on August 24, 1932, and raised on the family homestead near Sparks in Keya Paha County, north central Nebraska. He was the son of Benjamin and Agnes Owens and the middle sibling of seven children: William Harrison, Dorothy Mae, Robert Allen, Richard Thomas, Harriet Grace, Thomas Benjamin, and Max La Roy.

Born during the Great Depression in a region where hardship lingered longer than in many other parts of the country, life was not easy. Richard grew up on the family homestead with a workload unfathomable to what would be expected of children today. Richard often told stories of what they would do for “fun” when his parents were away, staging “rodeos,” climbing onto unbroken livestock to see who could stay on the longest. He also talked about taking canoes down the Niobrara, fishing, and hunting.

Richard’s passion throughout life was learning. A young Richard loved books from an early age, so much so that he would secretly unwrap books that would be given as Christmas gifts, read them in advance, then carefully rewrap them before pretending to be surprised on Christmas Day. He also spoke of having to teach himself things like math and science because he had curiosity beyond what his education could provide. Richard knew at a very early age that ranch

life was not for him, and the only way out was through education. In his community, boys were traditionally not allowed to attend school beyond the 8th grade so that they could work in the farming industry. Making matters more difficult was the cost associated with sending a child to high school, the high school that served Keya Paha County was 26 miles away and students would have to pay for their own housing. Richard refused to be denied an education, and he left home against the wishes of his parents to pursue high school. Thanks to the intervention of a local minister Richard and his father eventually reached an understanding that allowed him to continue high school. Richard spoke of the gratitude he had for his parents and their financial sacrifice that helped offset the cost of his boarding and opportunity to receive an education.

In high school, though small in stature (not breaking 100 pounds until his teens), Richard played football, basketball, and ran track. After graduating high school Richard was able to immediately start teaching because at the time the state of Nebraska allowed high school graduates with some additional training to be able to accept teaching positions. Richard taught and coached in rural schools for three years as well as numerous odd jobs like selling shoes and selling Fuller Brush products door-to-door.

Military Service After teaching for three years, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was stationed primarily in Southern California; his early training was to be a forward observer but changed his role after discerning that many of the men he gave coordinates to were not very good at math and often would send their munitions short putting his life in jeopardy. Thanks to Richard’s intellect and ability to absorb math he spent the rest of his service working with Nike missiles. Based on his proficiency with Nike missiles, he was invited to pursue further training in Florida during the early stages of what would become NASA but instead chose to return to Nebraska and pursue higher education through the GI Bill. Of note, during his time in the Army he continued his running career, where he competed in track events like the steeplechase for the Army.

Education Richard attended Chadron State College, taking courses during summers while teaching during the school year. He graduated summa cum laude in 1962 and earned a master’s degree from Chadron State in 1965. In 1969, he completed his doctorate in school psychology, special education, and guidance from the University of Nebraska.

While attending Chadron State College in 1960, Richard met Verlee Peterson. They met while auditioning for the play You Can’t Take It With You. Richard was cast as Mr. Kirby, and Verlee as Mrs. Kirby — the perfect beginning to their 64-year marriage. They married in 1961.

Family Life

Richard and Verlee’s first child, Laurie Owens, was born in 1962 in Valentine, Nebraska. The following year, twin sons Matthew Peter Owens and Michael Benjamin Owens were born. Sadly, Michael passed away shortly after birth. In 1970, Darrell Crabtree joined the Owens family at the age of 8 and Jonathan David Owens was born in 1974 in Sioux City, Iowa.

Richard was an amazing father and made time to encourage the interests of his kids as they grew up, always making sure they were successful in school and in life. There are so many stories – endless hours of playing ball with Laurie most certainly contributed to her dominance as a

college softball pitcher for Wayne State, earning multiple championship tournaments births in Oklahoma City and Indianapolis. His passion for hunting was passed onto his son Matthew; they continued their bond of dogs and hunting throughout the years. Richard’s love of the Huskers and politics was something that he shared with his son Jonathan and led to many long phone calls that focused on solving the problems of both Nebraska football and the Federal Government. Richard’s belief that life is best lived when helping people was also passed on to his children. Laurie’s career included being a CEO for nonprofits that served children and adults with severe behavioral challenges and intellectual disabilities, Matthew became a family practice doctor, and Jonathan a teacher and documentarian.

Richard was overjoyed to be a grandfather to eight grandchildren: Alex Vinkavich of Alameda, California; Ben Vinkavich of Omaha, Nebraska; Kyle Owens of Charlotte, North Carolina; Hannah Owens of Brookings, South Dakota; Olivia Owens of Watertown, South Dakota; and Jack, Mitchell, and Cora Owens of San Diego, California. He was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Alexis, daughter of Alex and Jess Vinkavich, and Henry, son of Ben and Michaella Vinkavich.

Career in Education Dr. Owens dedicated his life to education. He spent more than 20 years teaching in K–12 schools in Nebraska and Iowa, eight years as an administrator for the Western Hills Area Education Agency in Iowa, and over 20 years as a professor at Morningside College, where he inspired countless students and future educators.

In 1968, Richard and his family moved to Bedford, Iowa, where he served as School Psychologist for Adams and Taylor Counties. From 1970 to 1973, Richard served as the Coordinator and Director of Special Education for Area 14 in Creston, Iowa. In 1973, the Owens family moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where he became an Associate Professor of Special Education at Morningside College. This position was the first of two periods of employment at Morningside; it was also at this time that he created the first Special Education teacher training program for the college.

Advocacy and Social Justice Richard’s primary calling in life was fighting for the rights of individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. Social justice was at the heart of his life. While he did not win every battle, he elevated countless lives through his persistence, compassion, and leadership. Richard could be found anywhere the plight of the underserved was being discussed. Richard was never rude or resorted to name-calling, instead his intellect and his no-nonsense speaking style were his primary tools. Richard utilized his trademark Stoic stare of indifference and very dry and pointed sense of humor to counter local politicians that often did not understand that he was not impressed with their leadership skills.

In recognition of his impact, Richard was honored by the Sioux City Human Rights Commission with the 2017 War Eagle Human Rights Award and was one of only 13 individuals celebrated with a public sculpture through the “Celebrate Community Project” in downtown Sioux City. Richard received countless honors during his lifetime, from special recognition from the Governor of Iowa to honors from multiple national organizations.

Richard dedicated his life to improving opportunities for those persons with intellectual disabilities or who were learning-challenged; advocating for better services, organizing fundraising efforts, and working with parents, educators, legislators, and community leaders. He took great joy in supporting the summer school program for children and young adults with special needs in Sioux City, as well as the annual picnic that followed.

Richard served many years as president of the Woodbury County Arc and for eight years as president of the Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa. He worked with the LDA of Siouxland to expand services for local individuals with learning disabilities. He also spearheaded the “First Teacher” program, which offered resources and screenings for pre-kindergarten students and their families, preparing children for school success.

At Morningside College, he started the special education teacher training program and later helped establish the graduate program in special education and taught both undergraduate and graduate students. Even after retirement (he “retired” multiple times), he continued mentoring student teachers. Named Professor Emeritus, he was further honored when the college established the “Owens Professional Service Award,” given annually to a graduate student in special education.

Richard was a member of the United Church of Christ in Sioux City for over 50 years. Richard lived out Christ’s calling through his action to fight for the rights of others who have been underserved in our society. Richard was an active member of the congregation, serving numerous times as president of the congregation and helping build partnership with organizations like the Sanford Center.

Personal Interests and Passions Outside of family, education and social justice work, Richard nurtured a wide array of interests. In 1979, he and Verlee purchased a home on 11 acres, which gave him space for horses and a large kennel. His interest in raising and training dogs earned him the family nickname “The Dogfather.” For over three decades, he operated a federally inspected kennel, raising a variety of AKC breeds. Despite his very busy schedule he managed to put his “to do” list on hold on Saturdays in the Fall so he could cheer on or yell at his beloved Cornhuskers.

Richard especially loved coon hunting. While he had many types of hounds over the years, including Bluetick coonhounds, Black and Tans, and English Walkers, his favorite was always the Redbone coonhound. His children often joined him at dog sales and hunts across the country, learning life lessons that only can be learned by seeing the unique and sometimes infamous culture of the coonhound hunting community up close.

As he aged and could no longer walk long distances at night, he shifted to training bird dogs, applying his psychology background to refine his methods. In the 1990s, he discovered the Small Munsterlander breed, spending more than three decades raising and training them, often importing breeding stock from Europe. His dogs won numerous awards in natural ability competitions across the Midwest, and his reputation grew widely. He trained several “Prize 1” dogs, and their bloodlines are highly coveted.

Even into his 90s, Richard continued working with dogs despite arthritis, heart issues, and Parkinson’s disease. Always resourceful, he adapted his training methods by mounting canes on

his four-wheeler so he could continue to train and exercise his dogs. His dogs have been sold to hunting enthusiasts across the world, leaving behind a living legacy of his skill and passion.

Legacy Richard will be remembered for his commitment to helping people, his lifelong advocacy for the rights of individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, his love for hunting and dog training, and above all, his devotion to family. He was a man of perseverance, social justice, and vision who enriched the lives of everyone who knew him.

Survivors Dr. Richard Owens is survived by his wife, Verlee Owens; daughter Laurie Vinkavich-Cole and her husband Bob Cole of Hawaii; sons Darrell Crabtree of Sioux City, and Jonathan David Owens of San Diego, California; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Preceded in Death He was preceded in death by his infant son, Michael Benjamin Owens, son Dr. Matthew Peter Owens; his parents, Benjamin and Agnes Owens; and his siblings William Harrison, Dorothy Mae, Robert Allen, and Max La Roy.

Memorials

As a living tribute in recognition of those causes that Richard championed, the family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to the Sanford Center (1700 Geneva St., Sioux City, IA 51103), Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa (P.O. Box 122, Winterset, IA 50273), or the ARC of Woodbury County (6000 Gordon Dr., Sioux City, IA 51106).

Celebration of Life Services

A Celebration of Life for Richard Owens will be held at a later date with details provided in advance.