Jack Oliver Owens, 86
Jack Oliver Owens, 86, peacefully passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Kootenai, Idaho, with family by his side.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 31, 2019, at the Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint, Idaho.
Jack was born August 6, 1932, in Seymour, Indiana, to Oliver James Owens and Leona Ida Strandley Owens.
Around 1942, Jack and his family moved from Indiana to Idaho settling in the Colburn area.
From a young age when Jack was not in school he would work in logging camps and on local farms to help support his family. After graduating from Sandpoint High School in 1952, Jack worked for two years on the railroad.
In 1954 Jack entered the U.S. Army where he was stationed at Fort Lewis, in Washington state. In 1955 Jack married Janet Witherell in Sandpoint. After being honorably discharged in 1956, they returned to the Sand-point area, where they built a home and raised their two sons. Jack drove for Carnation and also drove a propane delivery truck becoming one of the first to deliver propane to the top of Schweitzer Mountain. He then worked for Georgia Pacific, which later became Louisiana Pacific, where he graded lumber for over 30 years until he retired in 1995.
Jack also built a home in Kootenai, where he raised his daughter and resided for most of the rest of his life.
Jack was an accomplished carpenter and liked building things from wood, paying particular attention to detail. He constructed two homes, two wooden boats and numerous other projects throughout his life.
Jack traveled the Pacific Northwest in his own camp designed 66’ Ford pickup which he affectionately referred to as the “Blue Goose,” camping and “wetting a line” in as many lakes, rivers, and streams that time would allow. He also enjoyed dancing, hunting, fishing, boating, making his own fishing tackle, and playing the harmonica. Jack also found beauty in the common dandelion.
Jack was proud of his Native American heritage which was of the Cherokee Tribe, but has a special interest and empathy for the Nez Pierce people and their culture. He became friends with some of the elders and the holy men, and spent time traveling sacred grounds restoring grave sites and battlefield markers of their people with great passion and purpose.
Jack was quick-witted with a unique sense of humor and an infectious smile.
He was a good father, a good man and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by two sons, Ira (Susan) Owens, and Shane (Emilie) Owens, and a daughte, Mikaela (Garett) Thompson, all from the Sandpoint area; nine grandchildren, Athena Owens Martz, Brandon, Brian, Nathan, Jarod, Jeremy, and Christopher Owens, Layton Scheu, Bradley and Ryker Thompson; 18 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by two brothers, Steve Owens of Sealy Lake, Montana, and Stoney Owens of Lincoln, Montana; and former wife, Janet Owens of Sandpoint.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Sharon Owens and Elizabeth (Jo) Jeppsen; two brothers, Gene Owen’ and Allen Owens; a great-granddaughter, Raina Owens; and his partner of 14 years Shirley Tucker.
Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements.
Please visit Jack’s online memorial at lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.