Janice "Jan" Ann Owens

 JANICE ANN (BOWEN) OWENS, 86 of Carmel, passed away October 30, 2019.  She was born December 11, 1932, in Colorado Springs, CO, to Maxwell and Emma Bowen,  the middle of three daughters. With her sisters, Mary Lou and Carolyn Sue, Jan enjoyed an idyllic childhood ice skating, skiing, fishing and horseback riding.  

A 1951 graduate of Colorado Springs High School, she was an aid to the queen of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo. She later attended Southern Methodist University before marrying and eventually settling in Houston, TX. She loved being a homemaker, was a fabulous cook and seamstress, and a devoted mother to her two children, David and Catherine. In Houston Jan enjoyed a 25-year career at Exxon in technical recruiting and sang in the First Baptist Church choir.

Jan returned to Colorado Springs following her retirement where her western roots inspired her to learn about Native American art and culture. She volunteered at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center  at Colorado College and at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. Her final and favorite job was working at the Garden of the God’s Trading Post where  she used her paycheck to acquire impressive Native American pottery and jewelry collection.

Jan loved to travel both in the U.S. and abroad and she visited thirteen different countries.  At 79, she traveled solo to India to visit her daughter and son-in-law who were posted in New Delhi. 

An excellent seamstress, Jan’s main hobby was quilting and everyone in her family cherishes the many quilts that she has shared with them over the years. A quilt sewn for her daughter’s wedding gift was awarded Best in Show in Winter’s California in 1988.

Above all, Jan enjoyed time with her family whom she left a legacy of laughter and love.  In 2015 Jan moved to Carmel, IN to be close to her children. David and Karen Owens have lived in Carmel for 30 years and Catherine and Leo Gentile moved to Carmel in 2013. Jan has three grandchildren, Megan Owens Pelc of Friendswood, TX, Kaitlin Owens and Sean Owens of Carmel, IN; two great grandchildren, Sawyer Pelc and Tucker Pelc of Friendswood, TX; favorite aunt of nieces, Terry Yannias and Karen Lococo both of Colorado Springs, CO, and  Jennifer Yousiff of Bayville, NJ; nephews, Russ Maytag of Montrose, CO and Stuart Francis of Cincinnati, OH. Also surviving is sister, Carolyn Francis, of Claremont, CA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Jan’s memory, to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.  https://www.michaeljfox.org.

Bussell Family Funerals is privileged to assist the family in arrangements.

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