Curtis K. Owen

Curtis K. Owen was born October 30,1919 and departed from this life on October 26,2020, four days short of his 101st birthday. He was born in McMahan, Texas the son of Odus and Mary Elizabeth Owen.  He had 3 brothers, Judson, Leland, and Odus Owen, Jr, (“Dutch”).  They all preceded him in death.  Curtis attended school in McMahan and graduated from Lockhart High School.  He was a basketball player and was named the outstanding player in Caldwell County.  Curtis served his country in World War II, where he was an Army Medic in the 36th Division and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant.  He served in North Africa, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria.  The 36th division helped liberate Rome and France from the German forces. While on leave from the Army in 1944, Curtis married Edith Reed Morrow from Sebastian, Texas on December 13, 1944.  Curtis and Edith had met and courted at Church meetings.  Curtis returned to the war and was part of the forces that liberated the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, Germany. 
After the war, Curtis and Edith moved to the family farm.  Curtis’s ambition was to become a lawyer, but the need for him come back to the farm was great.  Curtis and Edith worked together on the farm.  He was a farmer-stockman, who raised corn and sorghum to feed the cattle and hogs and grew cotton until 1961.  Curtis Owen was a leader in many organizations in the community.  He was a charter member and served as the first president of the McMahan Volunteer Fire Department, a charter member and president of the Caldwell County Farm Bureau and he received the Pioneer award from the Texas Farm Bureau. He served on the Lockhart Independent School Board of Trustees and served on the boards of the Luling Foundation Farm, Jeffrey Cemetery Association, ASCS county committee, Soil and Water Conservation Board and the Caldwell County Appraisal District.  He was named Agriculturalist of the year by the Lockhart Chamber of Commerce.
Curtis was devoted to worshipping the Lord as a member of Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in McMahan.  He joined the Church in 1938 and was a member for eighty-two years, of which he was a deacon for sixty-nine years.  He served as the Church clerk for forty-one years.  Curtis’s other devotion was to Sacred Harp singing, carrying on the heritage of his family.  Curtis and Edith passed that love of Sacred Harp down to their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, who all sing Sacred Harp.  Curtis also sang for many funerals in his lifetime.  There were very few family vacations growing up, but many great memories of trips going to Church meetings, singings, or visiting the relatives.
Curtis Owen was preceded in death by his wife, Edith Owen in 2017.  He is survived by his children: Kaye Diane Ross and husband Donald of Plano, Texas, Beverly Jean Coates and husband Bruce of McMahan, Texas, and Tom Hazen Owen and wife Mary Ann of McMahan, Texas. Grandchildren; Ryan Ross and wife Kara, Owen Ross and wife Xochitl, Jeb Owen and wife Liz, Amanda Bowles and husband Greg, Sarah Huckaby, Reed Coates and wife Laura and Holly Evans, eighteen great grand-children and one great-great grandchild.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Charles Laurence for his care of Curtis for many years, and the staff of Parkview Nursing Home for his care in his final years.
Curtis K Owen was a serious man, but a man that loved to laugh.  He had an incredible memory and knew so much history. He loved to tell stories from the past.  He was so well respected and a role model for his family and others.  In his one hundred and one years on this earth he saw many changes and he touched many lives with his devotion, leadership and examples.  Memorial contributions can be made to Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, P.O. BOX 1392, Lockhart, Texas 78644 or the McMahan Volunteer Fire Department, 291 Whizzerville Road, Dale, Texas  78616.
The funeral service will be held at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in McMahan, Texas at 10:00AM on Friday, October 30, 2020. Visitation will be at McCurdy Funeral Home in Lockhart, Texas on Thursday, October 29th from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
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