Oren B. Owens

Oren B. “Boots” Owens, 91, of Darby passed away at home Thursday, October 15, 2015.  He was born July 3, 1924 in Aily, Virginia, the son of the late McCoy and Mae Owens.

Boots was raised in Aily, Virginia, and attended High School in Haysi, Virginia. He joined the United States Navy in July, of 1942, and served on board the USS Shaw in the Pacific Theater of operations until he was honorably discharged in December, 1945.

After the war, Boots moved to Detroit, Michigan where he began working for Commercial Carriers in 1947.  On June 21, 1952, he married Betty J. Green.  They lived in Royal Oak, Michigan until 1963, when he received a promotion to terminal manager and was transferred to a terminal in Oakland, California.  Boots and his family lived in Concord, California until January, 1970, when he was transferred again – this time to a terminal in Salt Lake City.  He retired from Commercial Carriers in 1983.

Boots and Betty purchased their property in Darby in 1981, where he fulfilled his dream of building a beautiful log home.  His greatest pleasure was puttering around his property, and sharing his love of the western lifestyle with his grandchildren.

Boots was preceded in death by his brother Cecil, and sisters June (Owens) Counts, and Marie (Owens) Strickland.

Boots is survived by his wife Betty, of Darby; two daughters, Marcia and husband Doug Peterson of Billings, and Mary Beth of Lolo; two sons, Mark and wife Cori of Sandy, Utah, and Matthew and wife Shellie, also of Sandy, Utah; his brother William Daryl, seven grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 23rd from 10:00-12:00, at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.

Interment will take place on Friday, October 23rd at 3:00 pm, at the Western Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery in Missoula.