Russell Edwin Owen

Russell Edwin Owen died November 17, 2017 at the Heritage Villa Nursing Home in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, having completed two months and seven days of his ninetieth year. He was born September 10, 1927 in Oil Hill, Kansas, the son of Samuel Jones and Myrtle (McGee) Owen. He moved with his parents to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in August 1929 and was raised and schooled though High School here. He graduated from Bartlesville College High School in May 1945. He went into the Army and served nineteen months, being discharged May 31, 1947. He attended Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater, beginning in September 1947 and graduated in August 1951. He was called to be a minister of the Methodist Church on Easter Sunday 1950. He attended Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University and graduated with a Masters of Theology degree in May 1957. As pastor of the Wright City Methodist Church he met Roberta Jean Bryant. They were married December 20, 1953. Their marriage was blessed with two sons: Samuel James Owen and Joseph Robert Owen. Both sons became ministers of the Gospel. Russell felt that he was blessed by the gift of life, the gift of salvation by knowing God’s love made known in Jesus, and by his marriage to Jean. She gave him stability based on shared love in the haven of peace that they shared with one another and their children. Russell served for forty-three years as an active minster under appointment. He served the following churches: Wright City, Vinson, and Prairie Hill, Wapanucka and Clarita, Hennessey, Lamont, Shidler, Cleveland, and Blackburn, Prague, Bristow, Holdenville, Walters, and Penn Avenue of Oklahoma City. He was appointed as the Oklahoma Conference Pension and Benefits Officer for fifteen years. Russell was a member, officer, and administrator with the Oklahoma Conference Board of Pensions for thirty-one years. He was instrumental in starting a Conference-wide Health Insurance Program in 1972. He helped lead a campaign to move towards a forty-year program to fund the current unfunded liability and fund new ministers in such a program. The conference entered such a program around 1975. As Chairman of the Conference Board of Pensions, he initiated the Pension Fund Crusade, which begin in 1982 and raised $7,900,000 for retirees and eligible family members during the transition to a new fully funded Pension program by the General Board of Pensions that began in 1982. This fund has enabled the transition to take place and the fund has doubled in size. Russell was retired at the Annual Conference of 1995 with 43 years of service. He and his wife moved back to Bartlesville on October 20, 1997. They began attending the First United Methodist Church of Bartlesville in 2000 and he began to teach the Russell Owen Bible Study Class. He taught the class for eight years. He counted this as the high point of his entire ministry. Russell was pre-deceased by his parents, Samuel Jones Owen and Myrtle (McGee) Owen, his oldest son, Samuel James Owen on April 7, 2007, and by his older brother, James Robert Owen. Russell is survived by his wife, Roberta Jean Owen of the home, one son Joseph Robert and wife Michelle Owen of Poteau, Oklahoma, two sisters Mildred Owen Johnstone of Oklahoma City and Helen Owen Donnell and husband Lewis F. Donnell of Ochelata, five grandchildren, Kyle B. Owen, Rachel E. Harton and her husband Chris, Christopher M. Owen, Caleb I. Owen, and Brantley J. Owen; and two great-grandchildren, Gabriel A. Harton and Gracelyn A. Harton. Arrangements are being made with the Stumpff Funeral Home in Bartlesville. The family will be holding a Memorial Service sometime in the future.

Russell Edwin Owen

October 10, 1927 - November 17, 2017