Tommie Florene Owens

It is with tremendous sadness and grief that Dawn Malson, Linda Owens Webb and I announce the death of our mother Tommie Florene Owens. Tommie died on Sunday morning, April 14, 2024 at 11:30 am at home. Despite her age, Tommie enjoyed surprisingly good health up until nearly the end. Our family has been wonderfully overwhelmed with the tremendous outpouring of love and support from our extended family, church, and members of the community.

Tommie Florene Hair was born in Carnegie Oklahoma on February 12, 1936 to Sarah Alice Hair (Breshears) and James Earl Hair. Tommie took tremendous pride in her family name and thoroughly enjoyed being part of a family with eleven children. She was the second youngest of the family. Her passing closes the final chapter of that branch of the Hair Family. She expressed her pride in being a native of Oklahoma to most anyone who would listen. Nothing gave her more pleasure than hearing that the OU Sooners took out the Texas Longhorns!

Tommie was widowed at a very young age and was a single mother at a time when being a single mother was even more difficult than it is today. This union produced her daughter Dawn. This difficult experience fostered an innate empathy and compassion for single mothers. Many single mothers now have a relationship with Christ because of the gift of compassion God gave her. 

She didn’t stay single for long, though.

Her sister Juanita Johnson (“Aunt Sis” to Tommie’s kids) was a member of the Church of Christ on Beech and Kettering in Lancaster. In the early 60s, there were a number of single professional men attending, but there was one in particular named Marion Owens who had caught Juanita’s attention. He was a single high school teacher and was thought by Juanita that he “might be her speed,” referring to Tommie. The first time Tommie saw Marion Owens was on a Sunday night when he was making announcements at church. It seems that when Tommie saw Marion, she turned to her sister Juanita and said, “next time you see something like this, you call me COLLECT!” After a brief courtship, they were wed on January 25, 1963. This union produced her son David “Dave“ Owens and Linda Owens Webb.

Tommie went on to be a leader in whichever church fellowship she found herself a part of. She and Dad had countless Bible studies in their home and enjoyed nothing better than spending time with friends and family. Tommie’s peerless skill at hospitality has made her a legend when it comes to serving large quantities of “down home Southern cuisine.” Her baked beans and pudding cake desserts are famous literally throughout the world because there have been so many thousands of people who have sat at her dinner table and left feeling full of great cooking, but even more, love, caring, and acceptance.

Tommie lost the love of her life Marion in September of 2019. She continued to live in the family home next door to her son Dave and daughter-in-love Jackie. She absolutely loved her “little house” designed by dear family friend Bruce Macpherson. She would laugh that they built the house on the same property so that their granddaughter Katie could run away from home to Nana’s house without having to cross the street.

Tommie is survived by her three children, Dawn Malson (Darrel) Dave Owens (Jackie), and Linda Owens Webb (Scott). She is also survived by grandchildren Alecia Malson and Warren Malson (Tiffany) from her daughter Dawn, and two great-grandchildren, Trevor and Isabella Malson. She is also survived by her granddaughter Katharine Owens, daughter of Dave and Jackie. She also has a grandson, Logan Webb (Maci) and granddaughter Brooklyn Gregory (Aaron), and a great-grandchild Harlow Maria Gregory. Tommie was predeceased by her granddaughter through Linda, Allison Faith "Ally" Webb.

It is impossible to encapsulate the impact Tommie Owens had on the lives of those who loved her. Her story is best told through the stories of those who knew her and benefited from her love, wisdom, and hospitality.

Funeral services are planned for Friday, April 19, 2024 at 2 pm at the AV Reach church building located at 3830 West Avenue L-8, Lancaster, CA 93536. Burial will be immediately following the service with a public reception being held back at the church building immediately after. Final arrangements are being made through Halley-Olsen-Murphy. Special thanks going out to Mark Stanfield for his gracious assistance on a Sunday.

A "come and go" public viewing will be held at Halley-Olsen-Murphy Mortuary from 4pm until 8 pm. Halley-Olsen-Murphy Funeral Home is located at 44831 Cedar Avenue, Lancaster, CA 93534 one block south of Lancaster Boulevard.

As Tommie would have wished, everyone is welcome to attend. Cards of condolence may be sent care of her son Dave Owens at 44309 Lowtree Avenue, Lancaster, CA 93534.