Mr. Hubert Owens, age 84, of Girdler, Kentucky departed this life on Friday, December 8, 2023 at the Barbourville Health & Rehabilitation Center. He was born March 9, 1939 in the Coalgood section of Harlan County, Kentucky – the coal camp for Mary Helen Coal Mine.
Although Hubert’s family returned to Girdler in Knox County when he was just a baby, Hubert held fond memories of returning to coal camp during the summers, staying for a week with his father and the group of miners from Girdler who rented a house high atop a Harlan mountain.
In 1960, he united in marriage with Anna Marion, and to this union one daughter, Jennifer, was born. Mr. Owens, a 1960 graduate of Union College, taught school in the Knox County system for 14 years. He taught at New Bethel and Boone before moving to Knox Central High School to teach in the business department. After leaving the education profession, he returned to the office where he had worked during college and assumed a full-time position as County Executive Director of the Agricultural Stabilization & Conservation Service (ASCS office). He would hold that position for 20 years before government downsizing led him to London where he worked as a farm loan agent until his retirement from civil service in 1999.
In addition to his career, Mr. Owens was very involved in his community. A member of the Locust Grove Baptist Church, he attended faithfully and participated in service activities for many years before accepting Christ as his savior later in life. He was a founding member of the Richland Volunteer Fire Department where he faithfully served as treasurer for 30 years. He and Ann, along with several other residents of Girdler, and the surrounding area, worked hard to get the fire department established in the community. When grant funding didn’t provide enough money to keep the department operational, they set out to do a variety of fundraising activities including the bi-annual chicken & dumpling dinners that were known throughout the tri-county region and was once part of a CNN news story due to the attendance of a prominent state-level candidate for office. They also organized the annual mail-in-donation campaigns and several other fundraisers such as cake sales and singings. He and Ann could always be found working to make sure the fire department had the money needed to protect the citizens of the Girdler area.
Outside of work, Mr. Owens enjoyed spending time with Kevin, gardening and growing fruit trees. He was also an avid reader, a music listener, and a handy-man who could complete or trouble-shoot almost any task that needed to be done around the house.
Mr. Owens was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Anna, of Girdler, and his parents, Ben & Grace Owens, also of Girdler, sister-in-law Patricia Dudley-Owens, cousin-in-law Ruby Mounce-Carty, and special next-door neighbors and friends Curt, Christine, and Peggy Sams.
Survivors include his daughter Jennifer Siler and husband Mark of Barbourville, Kentucky, grandson, Kevin Siler of Corbin, Kentucky, sister, Betty Warren and husband Rufford of Naples, Florida, brother, Ben Owens, Jr. of Columbia, South Carolina, two beloved cousins, whom were raised as his siblings, James Arthur Carty of Somerset, Kentucky and Carol Carty-Owens and husband Jimmy, also of Somerset, Kentucky. Two nieces, Teresa Warren-Walker and husband Burt of Vine Grove, Kentucky and Kate Owens-Ferlauto and husband Michael of Columbia, South Carolina, and two nephews, Steven Warren and wife Deborah of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, and William Owens and wife Lorien of Columbia, South Carolina. Seven great nephews and nieces: GraceAnn Walker, Caroline Walker, William Owens, Zachary Owens, Lucas Ferlauto, Amelia Owens, and Natalie Ferlauto as well as a host of other family and friends are also left to mourn his passing.
The Owens family will receive friends at Hopper Funeral Home on Sunday, December 10, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Monday, December 11, 2023 from 11:00 AM until the funeral hour of 1:00 PM. Reverend David Barnard and Reverend Ralph Halcomb will officiate with musical tributes performed by Charlie Sprinkles and Joann Sprinkles, and John White. Interment will follow the funeral service in the Barbourville Cemetery. Casket Bearers are Loren Connell, Jim Mason, Monty Carty, Steven Warren, William Owens, and Kevin Siler. Honorary Casket Bearers are members of the Richland Volunteer Fire Department.
The Hopper family, Victoria Hopper and Sally Hopper, and the staff of Hopper Funeral Home, express sincere condolences to Jennifer, Mark, Kevin and to the other family members and friends of Mr. Hubert Owens.
Hopper Funeral Home, established over 100 years ago, is in charge of servicing all arrangements for Mr. Hubert Owens.
