Dolores “Dee” Esther Owen, aged 92, died peacefully on June 11, 2016, at her home in Plano, Texas, after a brief struggle with pancreatic cancer. She was born on February 8, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Lester John Yeadon and Esther Morkes Yeadon. The oldest of three sisters, Dee was raised in Chicago and after graduating from Parker High School, traveled with three friends to Los Angeles, California during World War II. After a brief stint as an illustrator at the Disney Studios, she worked for the phone company until the end of the war, following which she returned to Chicago and attended Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.
She met the love of her life, Melvin Owen, while attending a college football game between Illinois and Northwestern. Dee and Mel were married in 1947 at the Thorndyke Hilton Chapel at the University of Chicago. They loved going to sporting events, traveling and lived in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Pleasant Hills (Pennsylvania) and Toledo before moving to Plano, Texas in 1978 with their daughter, Kelly Ann Owen (born August 22, 1956). In addition to raising Kelly, Dee loved to volunteer, taught Sunday School, transcribed books into Braille for the blind and was a Girl Scout Troop Leader. When Kelly left for college, Dee ran a travel agency in Chicago and after moving to Texas, continued to work in the travel business. Dee and Mel traveled extensively, including trips to Ireland, Hawaii, Alaska and a tour of Walt Disney World two days before it opened to the general public. Upon Kelly’s graduation from college, Dee and Kelly flew to London and returned to the states via the Queen Elizabeth II (the “QE2"). In retirement, Dee and Mel continued to travel and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Dee was loving, outgoing, stayed current with popular culture and kept track of family and friends, always remembering to send cards for birthdays and holidays. She remained sharp minded and active up until her death and was able to spend time with close friends and family during her final days.
Dee is survived by her sweetheart and husband of 69 years, Melvin Burton Owen; her daughter Kelly and Kelly’s husband, Randy; her grandchildren, Ashley Ann Johnson and Randell Travis Johnson; her nephews, Bobby and Brian Boren and Chuck and John Boecker, Chuck’s wife, Debbie, and their children, Julia, Alyssa, Matthew and Brendan; and her brother-in-law, Stafford Lee Owen, and his sons, Stafford Jr., Bryan and Rusty (John) and their children; and numerous other loving relatives and friends.
Dee was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Patricia “Pat” Ann Yeadon Boecker and LaVerne Helen Yeadon Boren.
In accordance with Dee’s wishes, a brief, private memorial service for friends and family will be conducted at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at Turrentine Jackson Morrow Funeral Home Chapel, 2525 Central Expry, Allen, Texas 75013.
The family requests that memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 5432, Washington, DC 55235.