Claude Elmer Owens
September 19, 1916 - February 22, 2007
Obituary
Chaplain Claude E. Owens
A Time to plant
Chaplain Claude Owens was born to the late George and Irene Owens in Brooklyn, New York. He’s the baby of 7 children. Lester, Tessie, Milton, Mary, and Louis preceded him in death. Chaplain Claude received his education in the public school system, graduating from Boys High School. He soon joined the U.S. Army. It was in the Army he married his sweetheart The Late Fredricka Owens. Chaplain Owens was in Fort Belvidere VA on December 7, 1941, pealing potatoes on KP duty when he got orders to pack up because he was being sent to France. Chaplain Owens was part of the Red Bull Express delivering supplies to the front line. It was while he was doing his job that he and other guys were given the orders to pick up the rifles from the dead soldiers that were part of the first wave landing on the beaches of Normandy. He served and fought for his country with great pride and honor. After serving his time in the Army, he looked forward to getting back to the States. He missed his family and the church he grew up in. Shortly after returning home, Chaplain Owens became a member of the Free Masonry. He was a Master Mason who received his 33rd Degree, which is the highest degree.
A time to grow
Chaplain Owens retired from the Breyer’s Ice Cream Company before coming to Seattle for a visit. Once he arrived, he fell in love with the mountain trees and most of all the people. He often said that the kindest people in the world were here in Seattle. After the passing of his wife, Chaplain Owens became a very, very active volunteer at the VA Hospital, volunteering over 22,000 hours. He volunteered six days a week, 8 hours a day. After fellowshipping at Mission Baptist Church on Sundays, under the leadership of Pastor Abraham Harris, Jr., Chaplain Owens would go and buy $40.00 to $50.00 worth of fruit to take to the patients at three nursing homes and the VA Nursing Home. He really did love the VA Hospital. When volunteering, he would escort patients to wherever they had to go. You would always find him keeping busy helping out at the canteen. You often would see him standing up on something putting ice in the soda machine, sweeping or vacuuming the floors. If the job needed to be done, he didn’t wait for someone else to come and do it; he would do it himself.
A time to multiply
Chaplain Owens was a great talker as well as a prayer warrior. If you had a problem or just needed someone to talk to, he was there for you. He was a blessing, not only to the patients, and employees, but to everyone he came in contact with. Chaplain Owens believed in God and he would pray for you anywhere and anytime. Chaplain Owens just loved people, especially the people at the VFW Post 9430, where he was a member for more than 20 years. He made himself useful in anyway that he could, always performing various duties. Chaplain Owens good work and kind deeds gave him national attention when he appeared on the front cover of Jet Magazine. Several years ago, he also appeared on various television programs. Everyone who interviewed him wanted to know about the roller skating volunteer at the VA. Chaplain Owens received numerous awards, including one that was given to him personally by President Bill Clinton. Four times he was awarded the state VFW Chaplain of the Year, and in 2003, he received the national VFW Volunteer of the Year Award in Cincinnati.
A time to harvest
Chaplain Owens is a sweet man – maybe the sugar from Breyer’s Ice Cream Company rubbed off on him. Every night he would go to bed reading the Bible and eating a bowl of ice cream. He’s truly one in a billion. He would take the shirt off his back to give to you. He really believed it was better to give than to receive. He was kind, considerate, thoughtful, caring, loveable, and sweet to everyone he met. He made a mark on everyone’s life that can never be erased. To know him is to love him. He really did love the Lord, his family, and his friends. On Poppa’s death bed, would you believe he looked up at the doctors and said his famous words – “What can I do for you?” Chaplain Owens will always be greatly missed and very much loved. He leaves a legacy unmatched. Chaplain Owens leaves to mourn his loss, his devoted daughter Jewel Perkins Smith; 3 grandchildren Robert, Karen, and Jerome; 5 great-grandchildren, Ramesha, Octavia, Rasheem, Khamani and Ayzhia; 1 sister Alice Fauntleroy; 1 son-in-law, Cleveland; 1 God daughter Renee Brown; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; his extended family at Post 9430 and the VA Hospital; Mary Tanner, Skippy, Chee Chee, Claudia, George, and his very dear friend Ed Rasmussen and his wife Pat.
You will surely be missed by all those you served. You have a special place in the hearts of those who knew you. I am sure the Savior is holding you dearly right now.
Although difficult to let him go and for him to stop doing for others on this earth…his passing was his gift for each of us to ask ourselves ‘what can I do that Claude would do?’ His good deeds are now in our hands.
CLAUDE, WAS A VERY SPECIAL MAN. MY HUSBAND SOL ALTABET WAS A VOLUNTEER WITH CLAUDE AT THE V.A. HOSPITAL ON BEACON HILL FOR MANY YEARS. AT LEAST 15THEY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS AND HAD A VERY SPECIAL BOND.HE WAS A SMALL MAN IN SIZE,BUT HE HAD THE HEART & SOUL OF A GIANT.ALWAYS SMILING AND HAPPY.ALWAYS WILLING TO BE OF ASSISTANT AND MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THE VETERANS.HE WAS
A GOOD MAN,A BLESSED MAN.
MAY HE REST IN PEACE,HE TRULY WILL BE MISSED BY ALL THAT KNEW HIM.
ESTELLE ALTABET
For the family-I thank God For Chaplain Owens he was encouraging to me and many other nurses and veterans. He led a dedicated life. I especially recall his support for me and my children at my former husband’s funeral, Ernest Carter, whom he called “his buddy” my heart and love go out to you all.
Phil 2:5 “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus”
To my dear buddy Claude,
You will be greatly missed. You were truly one in a million. I can only imagine the joy and fun you are having with Jesus and your lovely wife. My family and I will miss you but look forward to the day when we will meet again.
Love,
Roy, K’arin, Antonio, Isaiah, Brianna and Erika Hanson.
It is with great honor that I pay my respects to one the kindest, most Godly men I have ever known. I arrived at the Veterans Hospital in Seattle some 15 years ago and was warmly greeted by Mr. Claude. From the first time I met him, he always had a warm, comforting way of presence, making you instantly feel you were somebody and loved. His vigor and zest for life infected every one he came in contact with. Although he is presently gone in body, his loving spirit will continue to reign not only here at the hospital, but far reaching in places we could never imagine. Thank you Mr. Claude for your love and you will be missed. The angels in heaven are rejoicing for another soldier who has come home.
It is a blessing to have known Claude. The first time I met Claude he had stopped to pray for a spouse of a patient. We joined hands in prayer. We were friends from that moment. He will be missed.
Claude I will forever be greatful for having known you and I will carry all the wisdom you gave me for the rest of my life.
Jewell and Family, please accept my condolences for the passing of Claude. Thank God I had the opportunity to be
blessed and touched by a man the Lord used in a mighty way.Claude not only “talked the talk” but “walked the walk” carrying the banner high of Jesus Christ in his daily life serving others. Our Lord, I’m sure greeted Claude as the Bible promises,”Well Done My Good and Faithhful Servant” Be encourged, Claude has been promoted!
THANKS FOR SHARING CLAUDE WITH HIS VA FAMILY. HIS LIFE WAS A BLESSING FOR ALL OF US
POP OWENS YOU WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE TALKS WE HAD AND THE LAUGHS WE SHARED I LOVE YOU EDWARD HICKS JAMAICA NEW YORK
Here it is another day and I still think about you.I MISS YOU MORE AS THE DAYS GO BY I STILL REMEMBER THE GENTLE SMILE AND THE SOFT WORDS I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.
Time passes, but the memory of Claude will never fade away. I will always treasure my friendship with Claude, one of the kindest, most genuinely caring people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Although I mourn for my loss, I know that Claude is Home, free of pain and so busy asking “Can I help you, buddy?” of everyone in Heaven. I am a better person for knowing Claude, and blessed to have been counted among the countless people he called “friend”.
Pop it’s been 4 years that you letf the pain of you leaving is still just as great today as it was the second you left. You will always be loved and greatly missed. Love always your one and only baby your your daughter jewel
DEAR POP JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I THINK OF YOU EVERY DAY, FOR YOUR BRITHDAY ME AND JR GOT MARRIED, THAT WAS OUR WAY OF REALLY DOING IT UP FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY WE HAD A BLAST ONLY WISH YOU WAS THERE. I COULD NEVER THANK ALL YOUR FRIENDS IN SEATTLE FOR BEING THERE FOR ME IN 2007 MUCH LOVE , AND PRAYS ARE SENT OUT THERE. ME AND RENEE IS VERY CLOSE I KNOW THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY ME TOO. DAD I GOT A LITTLE HEART BURN RIGHT NOW NEED SOME TUMS SO DAD I GOING TO SIGN OFF NOW LOVE AND MISS YOU SO MUCH YOUR DAUGHTER
Pop just wanted to let you know that you are still in my heart i will always love you. pop I miss you. your son cleveland
Pop just to let you know I love you and miss you very much.Life has been so hard without you…….love always your baby girl
POP JUST WANT TO SAY I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU VERY MUCH
LOVE AND MISS YOU POP YOUR ONE ONLY BABY GIRL
I am the great granddaughter of Alice Fauntleroy. Although I did not know Uncle Claude that well I’ve managed to join the Army as he did and am now making a career out of it. I love your legacy. You will be missed