Samuel Craig Owens

1952 - 2011

Samuel Craig Owens, 59, was taken home to meet our Heavenly Father on Sept. 16, 2011. He was helped to cross over with his loving wife of 37 years, his eldest daughter, numerous close family friends, and a white dove that arrived in his back yard that morning and left just prior to the moment of his death.

Sam was born on June 27, 1952, in Lebanon, Va., just minutes before his twin sister Sandy. The youngest of three other sisters, Sam was raised in a household of women and spoiled rotten as a babe. As he grew, he worked alongside his father with Pendleton's Construction Company building the bridges that dot the landscape of western Virginia and Tennessee. After graduation from George Wythe High School in 1970, Sam continued to work with Pendleton's for a couple of years until he joined the United States Navy in 1972.

Sam's Navy career first began as an Engineering Aid with CBU 404 in Millington, Tenn. It was there he met his wife Judy while spending an evening at the USO. After a six month engagement, the two were wedded in holy matrimony in Judy's hometown of La Grange Park, Ill., on Oct. 12, 1974. Sam then received orders for NMCB 74 out of Gulfport, Miss. In September 1975, they celebrated the birth of their first daughter, Jennifer, and made the decision to leave the service and move back to his hometown of Wytheville, Va. Sam spent the next five years working in the construction industry while attending Wytheville Community College.

In August of 1978, they joyfully celebrated the birth of their second daughter, Amy. Sam graduated with an Associate Degree of Drafting and Design Technology in 1981 and was named in Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges for his outstanding merit and academic accomplishments. In 1981, Sam made the decision to re-enter the Navy and make a lifetime career out of it. Sam's first duty station upon reentry was with Public Works in Groton, Conn., and then he was assigned to the USNS Harkness. He spent a year searching for underwater mines in the Suez Canal. After Groton, Sam received orders to CBC Port Hueneme, Calif., and never left.

He served in NMCB 4 and NMCB 3 and taught the Engineering Aids at NCTC. In 1990, Sam earned the right to call himself "Chief" as he pinned on the anchors for Chief Petty Officer. He was working as an instructor at CECOS when he retired in 1999 after giving 21 years of his life in service to our country. After retirement from the US Navy Seabees, Sam continued to serve in a different way. He took a position as the Facilities Supervisor with Casa Pacifica in Camarillo. He always said his greatest joy in working there was when a child would come back to the home to thank him for being an inspiration and helping him to get his life back on track.

Sam enjoyed the smaller things in life. He loved to garden, and throughout his years in the Navy was a consistent winner of Yard of the Month, always proudly displaying his Yard of the Month signpost mixed in among the colorful flowers of his garden. He had a talent for woodworking. He skillfully crafted cribs for all three of his grandchildren and made the bedroom set that has been in use by he and his wife for the past 37 years. He loved to fish. His favorite vacation spot was back home in Virginia where he could be found fishing the waters of Claytor Lake and New River with his brother-in-law, or standing alongside Mad Dog Hole in Moccasin Creek. The family photo album is filled with pictures of his stringers and you could always gauge how big his smile was going to be by the number of fish held up beside him. He passed this love on to his daughters and grandchildren, even helping his grandson Bowen earn a merit badge in fishing by teaching him how to build and use a jerk pole on the waters of Moccasin Creek.

Sam is survived by his wife of 37 years, Judy Owens; daughter, Jennifer Ormond of Port Hueneme; daughter, Amy Owens of Royal Oak, Miss.; sister, Shirley Fletcher of Mt. Caramel, Tenn.; sister, Juanita Jessee and brother-in-law Paul Jessee of Lebanon, Va.; sister, Barbara Gibson and brother-in-law Giles Gibson of Lebanon, Va.; twin sister, Sandra Blevins and brother-in-law Ron Blevins of Wytheville, Va.; three grandchildren, Bowen and Rhianna Ormond, and Evaline Boisvert; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews throughout the United States. He is preceded in death by his mother, Tina Carnelia Owens; father, Craig Scott Owens; and brother-in-law, William Burke Fletcher.

Sam's last few days were spent in the comfort of his home on hospice care through Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurses Association (LMVNA). The family wishes to thank his care team, especially his nurse Dan and his social worker Michelle, for the loving and gentle care and support he was given in his last few days with us on Earth. Sam's wishes were to be cremated and have his ashes spread at the headwaters of Moccasin Creek in Virginia. Sam was a very active member in the local VFW Post 3935 and a Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, at the VFW Post 3935, 300 S. Surfside Drive, Port Hueneme.

There will be a potluck immediately following the service. All are welcome to attend to celebrate the life of this great and well-respected member of the military and civilian community. The family asks that if you have any memories or photos of Sam, you write them down and bring them to the service for future use in a memory book for his young grandchildren so they might better know the man who was loved by so many.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Casa Pacifica, 1722 South Lewis Road, Camarillo, CA 93012, or LMVNA , 1996 Eastman Avenue, Suite 101, Ventura, CA 93003. For maps and directions to all ceremony locations and to sign the family's online guest book, please visit www.caminodelsolfuneralhome.com. Camino del Sol, Funeral Home & Crematory, A Heritage Life Tribute Center, 200 North "C" St, Oxnard, is assisting the family with arrangements, 483-3443.