Terry Michael Owen, 85, of Springfield, Missouri, went to be with the Lord on June 26, 2026.

Terry was born to Calvin Jesse Owen and Emma Jeane Smith Owen. He was preceded in death by his parents, as well as his beloved wife of 63 years, Beverly Mabe Owen.

He is survived by his only sibling, Regina Owen Townes; his three children, Shelli Owen Gilbert and her husband, Bill, of Springfield; Mike Owen and his wife, Carolyn, of Rogersville; and Charlie Owen and his wife, Sandy, of Havana, Kansas. He also leaves behind six grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Terry was a lifelong archaeology enthusiast. His passion began with a summer job on a team from the University of Missouri’s archaeology department. He spent three summers at various excavation sites, uncovering Native American shelters and habitats to preserve their history before Table Rock Lake covered them forever. 

 During the summer after his sophomore year, he met a very cute girl from Parkview High School who would become the love of his life. Being a student at Central High apparently wasn’t a problem, because they married shortly after graduating from high school. Their marriage lasted 63 wonderful years.

Terry began his career as a salesman at Paul Mueller Company, where his talent and dedication eventually led him to become one of the very few people in America to earn certification through the American Society of Mechanical Engineers without a college degree. He worked full-time as an engineer until the age of 76 and continued working part-time until he was 80.

Of all his accomplishments, Terry considered his family to be his greatest achievement. He coached Mighty Mites football and Little League baseball and attended hundreds of football, basketball, softball, baseball, and volleyball games, as well as track meets. He and Bev often found themselves in separate towns, trying to cheer on all their children. 

That joy continued through each generation. In fact, the last trip Terry made was just one week before his passing, when he traveled to Kansas to watch his great-grandchildren play baseball and softball.

For the last 20 years, Terry was a faithful member of Evangel Temple Christian Center, where he enjoyed many cherished friendships.