Dwayne Ray Owen

Dwayne Ray Owen (78) went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at Fair Haven in Birmingham, AL, after a brief battle with cancer. He was a Christian, devoted to God first and foremost, and devoted to his family. Dwayne was born prematurely on April 1, 1945, in El Dorado AR to Robert Phillip Owen and Mariexa Prothro Owen. That tiny baby survived, sprouted red hair, and thrived as the third among 4 siblings. As a child, Dwayne’s family spent their summers at Caddo Gap AR enjoying the outdoors with activities like swimming, fishing, wading and searching for quartz. He graduated from high school in El Dorado AR, and then went to college at Baylor University in Waco TX where he earned a BBA. It was at Baylor that he met the woman who would be his treasured bride for almost 56 years, Lynnda Jeane Harrison of Ft. Worth TX. The couple married in Waco TX on Sept. 9, 1967. Dwayne entered the Navy the month following the wedding and served until Nov. 1970, finishing as a yeoman 2nd class and court reporter. In 1970, the couple’s daughter was born, and then in 1972, a son. On a military scholarship, the good ole’ Southern Baptist Dwayne was accepted at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth TX where he obtained his Master’s Degree in Church Music. During his career, Dwayne served as a Director of Youth and/or Director of Music and Education at Westside Baptist Church El Dorado AR, Nevada Baptist Church TX, Tolar Baptist Church TX, FBC Deerfield Beach FL, FBC Fort Stockton TX, FBC Stanton TX, Crane Baptist Church TX, North Cleburne Baptist Church TX, Woodland Hills Baptist Church and Liberty Baptist Church in Longview TX, and FBC Diana TX, where he retired in 2010. He also spent time serving in HR at Kimbro Medical Center in Cleburne TX, and as an intake counselor for a United Way nonprofit project D.O.R.S. in Longview TX. In 2016, he officially retired, and he and Lynnda moved to Birmingham AL to be nearer to family. A lifelong Southern Baptist, Dwayne was ordained as a Reverend in 1980, where his father served as a Deacon in his ordination. In similar fashion years before, Dwayne was baptized on the same day that his father was ordained as a Deacon. Dwayne always loved to make people laugh. He played the guitar, enjoyed producing children’s choir musicals, and he enjoyed moose and Ziggy collectables. He really never met a stranger. Dwayne is survived by his loving wife Lynnda Jeane Harrison Owen, their two children: Sherri (Alan) Easdon of Trussville AL and Darrell (Jacinda) Owen of Allen TX; and six grandchildren: Amanda Easdon, Dylan Owen, Aaron Easdon, Xander Owen, Chloe Owen and Preston Owen; and his beloved pet Domino. His three siblings have also survived him: Phyllis (George) Dickinson of Charleston SC, George Robert “Pal” (Ann) Owen of Mandeville LA, and Freida (Gary) Braswell of Plano TX. He is also survived by a special childhood cousin Joanna Melton of El Dorado AR, and many other cousins, nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the loving hearts and hands of Affinity Hospice and of Fair Haven. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pure Water Pure Love (PWPL) project of the WMU, P.O. Box 830010, Birmingham, AL 35283-0010 or online at WMU.com under the “Ministries” tab; or to the Fair Haven Fountain of Love Fund, 1424 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35210 or online at fairhavenbirmingham.org at this link.

Dwayne Ray Owen

April 1, 1945 - August 26, 2023