Obituary
Donald “Don” Wayne Owens left this earth and joined his Lord And Savior on September 12, 2024 at the age of 86, surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be held at Crestwood Funeral Home on Tuesday, September 17th at 12 PM. Family will receive family and friends from 10 to 12 that morning. Dr. Ryan Morris officiating.
Don was born January 17, 1938 in Gadsden, Alabama to the late W.E. Owens, Sr and Ophelia Ann Owens. He was one of eight children. He was proceeded in death by his parents and all of his brothers and sisters, but most recently the love of his life and “sweetheart” Linda Jay Nelson Owens .
He leaves his love to live on through his daughter, Lizann Owens Allsup, son, Clay Nelson, and daughter, Julie (Michael) Dean; his grandchildren Tana (Eric) Estes, Jessica Allsup, Rebecca, Lauren, and Gavin Nelson, Nigel and Lunden Dean, and his best bud Preston Pruett; his six great- grandchildren, Anna, Kayla, Channing, Raelyn, Zoey, and AJ Estes, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Don was a 1958 graduate of Gadsden High School, where he played basketball against his parents’ wishes. This sport would lead him to the University of Tulsa, Nichols State, and Snead State on scholarship. He then served in the Air National Guard for 20 years. His life’s work was Owens Plating Company where he spent endless days and nights building the company from scratch and expanding it across the country.
To know him was to know of all his life lessons and stories. Throughout his life, his hobbies kept him the most busy. He enjoyed flying, antique cars, gun collecting, and has been an active member of the “Tide Pride“ since 1987. Roll Tide!
Pallbearers will be Zane Allsup, Eric Estes, Michael Dean, Walt Whisenant, Dale Heard, and Adam Heard.
Honorary pallbearer will be Robert Madaris, Stan Pruett, Sam Vineyard, and Larry Harris.
The family would like to thank the staff and residence of Regency Point Assisted Living for loving him. Thanks to his special friends that became family: Paula Brewster and Veronica Harbin, and especially Dale Heard who never let a day go by without checking on him. Thank you also to the staff of Riverview Regional CCU for the care received in these last few weeks. To all who have prayed, you are appreciated.