Obituary for Ramon "Ray" Owens
Ray Owens
Ramon B. Owens (Ray) passed away June 3, 2022. Ray was born in Roslyn, Wa. July 21, 1928. He started working for his father Richard and mother Frances in the Owens Meat Market as a very young boy. Growing up in the meat business was a demanding job but Ray always found time for his many interests. He was on the track team and was a great football player for Cle Elum Roslyn High School. He was the fullback and helped win the Washington State Championship in 1946 when all schools in Washington competed at the same level. He received scholarships to college but had to pass on a college education because the family market could not afford to be without him.
After High school Ray married Janet Lunn. They had five children Connie, Colleen, Ray Jr. and twins Don and Doug.
Ray enjoyed hunting of every sort, birds, deer, elk and antelope to name a few. He loved taking his horse "Stepper into the Alpine Lake wilderness area to fish and hunt. He also fished in the local lakes, rivers and streams and absolutely loved salmon fishing, crabbing digging clams and picking oysters. He even became a certified diver in 1985 and enjoyed diving the San Juan Islands with his son's Don and Doug.
Ray took over Owens Meats in 1968 right after an adventurous trip to Alaska. Ray and a local entrepreneur went to the remote island of Sitkalidak. The island had 300 miles of rugged coastline and hundreds of wild beef on it. Ray along with Ron and Claude Montgomery were hired to build a slaughter house on the island and bring beef to the Alaska market place. It was a wild adventure that most of his family participated in and never stopped reliving.
Ray loved music and singing was a big part of his life. He sang in competitions, weddings and funerals. He laughed once when telling us that people were "Just dying to hear him sing". He later was involved with the Singing Hills chorus in Ellensburg and was a part of a quartet.
One of the most fulfilling parts of Ray's life was being involved in local and state politics. He helped start the Jaycees in Cle Elum and soon became a member of the city council and then elected as the youngest mayor of Cle Elum when only 30 years old. He was mayor for 8 years and listed as one of America's top 100 young men of America. Ray was a Kittitas County Fair Board member for many years heading up the entertainment. He brought Dart tournaments, Tug of war, greased pig, hay bucking and probably the most popular of all the wood splitting competition to the fair. Ray loved softball and bowling. He always had an Owens Meats sponsored team. Ray was part of the Owens Meats Tug-o-war team "The Owens Meat Machine" and was very proud that the team had never lost a pull when he was the anchor man. In 1988 he became Kittitas County Commissioner for two terms. In 1989 he was on the Washington State Sustainable Forestry Roundtable and worked hard to come up with sustainable forest practices. Ray went on to work independently on many projects after his retirement from Owens Meats and county politics.
In 1990 Ray married Mary Hyder and his family grew. Mary had 3 children of her own, daughter Sheri Carr, sons William and Craig Hyder.
Mary was very active in the Ellensburg business community and between them they seemed to be involved in almost everything. Ray and Mary later moved to Whidbey Island where they spent many years exploring the San Juan Islands in their Bayliner " Little Rascal." They enjoyed wilderness road trips to Alaska, huckleberry picking, family and everything out doors.
Ray had a lot of family and many friends and he will be missed. Survivors are: Wife, Mary Owens. Daughter Connie, her husband Wayne Wanacheck and her children Lisa, Laura and Kathleen. Daughter Colleen, her husband Jeff Case and children Jennifer and Jeff Case Jr. Son Ray Owens Jr. his wife Tami and his children Chaeli, Kali and Timberly. Son Don Owens, his wife Kristina and their children Tiffany, Lutisha and Madysen. Son Doug Owens, his wife Dana and children Christie and Jordan. Step daughter Sheri Carr and her children Chase and Chandra. Step son William Hyder and his wife Andrea. Step son Craig Hyder and his wife Carolyn and their children JoAnn, Abbigayle, Gabriel, Elizabeth, Charlotte and Kevin. There are also many more great grand children nieces and nephews.
Please join us in Celebrating the life of Ray Owens.
1:00 PM Saturday October 1, 2022 at the Sovereign Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church located at the Wallin Stucky Funeral Home 1811 NE 16th Ave., Oak Harbor, WA. 98277
Following the service, hors d'oeuvres will be served
Please RSVP 360-929-3611
Ramon B. Owens (Ray) passed away June 3, 2022. Ray was born in Roslyn, Wa. July 21, 1928. He started working for his father Richard and mother Frances in the Owens Meat Market as a very young boy. Growing up in the meat business was a demanding job but Ray always found time for his many interests. He was on the track team and was a great football player for Cle Elum Roslyn High School. He was the fullback and helped win the Washington State Championship in 1946 when all schools in Washington competed at the same level. He received scholarships to college but had to pass on a college education because the family market could not afford to be without him.
After High school Ray married Janet Lunn. They had five children Connie, Colleen, Ray Jr. and twins Don and Doug.
Ray enjoyed hunting of every sort, birds, deer, elk and antelope to name a few. He loved taking his horse "Stepper into the Alpine Lake wilderness area to fish and hunt. He also fished in the local lakes, rivers and streams and absolutely loved salmon fishing, crabbing digging clams and picking oysters. He even became a certified diver in 1985 and enjoyed diving the San Juan Islands with his son's Don and Doug.
Ray took over Owens Meats in 1968 right after an adventurous trip to Alaska. Ray and a local entrepreneur went to the remote island of Sitkalidak. The island had 300 miles of rugged coastline and hundreds of wild beef on it. Ray along with Ron and Claude Montgomery were hired to build a slaughter house on the island and bring beef to the Alaska market place. It was a wild adventure that most of his family participated in and never stopped reliving.
Ray loved music and singing was a big part of his life. He sang in competitions, weddings and funerals. He laughed once when telling us that people were "Just dying to hear him sing". He later was involved with the Singing Hills chorus in Ellensburg and was a part of a quartet.
One of the most fulfilling parts of Ray's life was being involved in local and state politics. He helped start the Jaycees in Cle Elum and soon became a member of the city council and then elected as the youngest mayor of Cle Elum when only 30 years old. He was mayor for 8 years and listed as one of America's top 100 young men of America. Ray was a Kittitas County Fair Board member for many years heading up the entertainment. He brought Dart tournaments, Tug of war, greased pig, hay bucking and probably the most popular of all the wood splitting competition to the fair. Ray loved softball and bowling. He always had an Owens Meats sponsored team. Ray was part of the Owens Meats Tug-o-war team "The Owens Meat Machine" and was very proud that the team had never lost a pull when he was the anchor man. In 1988 he became Kittitas County Commissioner for two terms. In 1989 he was on the Washington State Sustainable Forestry Roundtable and worked hard to come up with sustainable forest practices. Ray went on to work independently on many projects after his retirement from Owens Meats and county politics.
In 1990 Ray married Mary Hyder and his family grew. Mary had 3 children of her own, daughter Sheri Carr, sons William and Craig Hyder.
Mary was very active in the Ellensburg business community and between them they seemed to be involved in almost everything. Ray and Mary later moved to Whidbey Island where they spent many years exploring the San Juan Islands in their Bayliner " Little Rascal." They enjoyed wilderness road trips to Alaska, huckleberry picking, family and everything out doors.
Ray had a lot of family and many friends and he will be missed. Survivors are: Wife, Mary Owens. Daughter Connie, her husband Wayne Wanacheck and her children Lisa, Laura and Kathleen. Daughter Colleen, her husband Jeff Case and children Jennifer and Jeff Case Jr. Son Ray Owens Jr. his wife Tami and his children Chaeli, Kali and Timberly. Son Don Owens, his wife Kristina and their children Tiffany, Lutisha and Madysen. Son Doug Owens, his wife Dana and children Christie and Jordan. Step daughter Sheri Carr and her children Chase and Chandra. Step son William Hyder and his wife Andrea. Step son Craig Hyder and his wife Carolyn and their children JoAnn, Abbigayle, Gabriel, Elizabeth, Charlotte and Kevin. There are also many more great grand children nieces and nephews.
Please join us in Celebrating the life of Ray Owens.
1:00 PM Saturday October 1, 2022 at the Sovereign Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church located at the Wallin Stucky Funeral Home 1811 NE 16th Ave., Oak Harbor, WA. 98277
Following the service, hors d'oeuvres will be served
Please RSVP 360-929-3611