Warren G. Owens, 97 years old, died Tuesday, August 23, 2022, shortly after noon at his home in northeast Howell County, Missouri. Upon his wishes, cremation will take place with burial at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri.
Warren Guy Owens “Dub” was born September 9, 1924, in Greenbrier, Missouri, the son of David Moore Owens and Bertha Frances Sample. He graduated from Zalma High School as Valedictorian in 1943.
He was a veteran of WW2 serving with the 456th Bombardment Group of the 15th Army Air Forces as the Radio Operator on a B-24 Liberator bomber. His crew ran 13 missions out of northern Italy in 1945 and were notably shot down after losing 2 of their 4 engines due to flak, making an emergency landing on the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea. He pulled several injured crew members out of danger before landing. After radioing over to base for assistance they crossed the Adriatic by boat and essentially were “on vacation” until repairs could be made to their plane. After making repairs, essential members of his crew returned to fly their B-24 off the island of Vis and back to base. They suffered no casualties. Warren was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
Upon returning from the war, he remained with the military only a short time before coming back home to Missouri. He moved to the St. Louis area and lived at the local YMCA for a time in 1950 and also stayed briefly with his sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Cliff Gibbs. He married Doris Jean Holliday on September 27, 1952, in St. Louis and lived at Pine Lawn until November of 1959 when they moved near Portage des Sioux in northeast St. Charles County making their home there for 33 years. Warren was employed by Conductron in the late 1960s before it became a part of McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft in 1971. He retired from McDonnell-Douglas in 1990. Warren and Doris moved to St. Peters in 1992, then to Rolla in 1994, and finally to rural northeast Howell County near Pomona, in March of 1996.
Warren was a life-long St. Louis Cardinals fan and rarely missed a ballgame. He was also a master checkers player, learning from an older neighbor in his hometown of Greenbrier. He once defeated a former Missouri State Champion checkers player. Finding a worthy opponent was quite often difficult, so most of the time he played against himself, especially in his later years. He taught checkers as well as the card game rummy to his grandchildren when they came to visit. He was always interested in astrology and loved to talk about the calendar and solstices, as well as being a lover of nature. He could tell you about every tree growing on his property. Until recent health issues, he always grew cannas in his flower beds. Warren and Doris would have been married 70 years next month.
He is survived by his wife, Doris of Pomona, MO; three sons, Kenneth W. Owens and wife, Susan of Mount Horeb, WI, Terry D. Owens of Pomona, MO, and Ronald K. Owens and wife, Ruth of Prairie Home, MO; and six grandchildren, Curtis A. Owens of Davis, CA, Jessica L. Owens of Mount Horeb, Wi, Brian D. Owens of Missouri, Ryan K. Owens of Columbia, MO, Ray A. Owens of Prairie Home, MO, and Riley G. Owens of Holts Summit, MO. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and four sisters.
Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Yarber Mortuary, Mountain View, Missouri.
