Don Ray Owens

Don Ray Owens, 87, died peacefully at his home on Monday, February 27, 2012, after a sixteen-month battle with bile duct cancer. A life-long resident of Gordon County, he was the son of the late Sam and Mae Montgomery Owens, and was a member of Pine Chapel United Methodist Church. Mr. Owens was a 1941 graduate of Calhoun High School, and briefly attended college before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. He served in World War II, and upon discharge in 1945, returned home and began buying and selling Army surplus Jeeps, vehicles that provided much-needed transportation in the post-war era. The consummate entrepreneur, Mr. Owens was always looking for business opportunities, and prided himself on being his own boss. In addition to trading Jeeps, his varied 67-year career included operating a country store, owning a taxi line, selling cars and motorcycles, and building and leasing apartments, warehouses and billboards. Overcoming a serious battle with clinical depression as a younger man, Mr. Owens discovered that his prescription for good health was keeping his mind engaged in his business, and he continued to be active in its management until the time of his death. In 1952, Mr. Owens partnered with Gaines Prater to establish a Pontiac dealership in Calhoun. A few years later, Ford Motor Co. approached the pair about taking on the Ford franchise. Because the Pontiac lineup did not include pickup trucks, items that were in high demand by the local farm community, the partners seized the opportunity and together founded Owens-Prater Ford in 1957. After several years of successful operation, Mr. Owens sold his interest to Mr. Prater’s two sons, Jimmy and Fred, and shifted his focus to real estate. Prater Ford, however, continues today under the original Prater family ownership, and after 55 years, is one of Calhoun’s oldest businesses. Moving into construction and property development, Mr. Owens partnered with Don O. (Billy) Lewis to build and lease apartments to a growing population in both Calhoun and Dalton. In the early 1970’s, tapping into a rapidly expanding carpet industry, Mr. Owens began building and leasing speculative industrial warehouses to companies that included Horizon Mills, predecessor to today’s Mohawk Industries. Over the years, as Mohawk and other tenants grew into bigger spaces, Mr. Owens sought out expanding, relocating and upstart companies to fill the void, which helped to expand and diversify the local industrial base. Although his influence was indirect, Mr. Owens was proud of his role in bringing new jobs to his hometown, and was always grateful for the many opportunities the community presented him. Mr. Owens’ wife of 54 years, Geneva Horne Owens, preceded him in death in 2006. He is survived by one daughter, Debra Owens Guinter of Calhoun, one granddaughter, Jennifer Guinter of Asheville, NC, a brother, George Owens and his wife Edna of Calhoun, several nieces, nephews, and cousins, plus a special team of dedicated caregivers. Funeral services for Mr. Don Ray Owens will be held on Wednesday, February 29 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Thomas Funeral Home, with Rev. Lori Lewis Ethridge officiating. Mike and Jackie McDaniel will provide the music. Interment to follow in Fain Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers are Don O. (Billy) Lewis, Max Hobgood, Jimmy Prater, Blake Putnam, Hubert Long, and Charley Allen. Acting pallbearers are Lindsay Lewis, David (Monty) Owens, Jerry Barton, Chris Taylor, Chuck Allen and Jason Holland. The family will receive friends at Thomas Funeral Home on Tuesday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Mr. Owens memory to the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce Building Fund, 300 S. Wall Street, Calhoun, GA 30701. Thomas Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Don Ray Owens.