Obituaries
Margaret Owen
Former Los Gatan Margaret "Peggy Jean" Owen died March 2 in her Groveland home, following a long battle with cancer. She was 81.
She was born Feb. 20, 1921, in England while her father was attending Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. The family later returned to its Washington home, where Owen grew up in the Puget Sound area and developed a love of animals and the outdoors. This led her, along with her sister, Betty, and their friend, Muriel, to become the first women to hike the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier--a 100-mile journey.
A graduate of Washington State University, she earned her nursing credentials from Stanford University and a master's degree in public health from San Jose State University. After she became a nurse, Owen took a job as ship's nurse for the American President Lines, where she cared for sick refugees being repatriated after World War II.
It was on board ship that she met and fell in love with the first mate, Walter "Bud" Owen. After sailing around the world, the couple settled in Owen's hometown of Los Gatos, where they raised their four children. Owen also worked as a school nurse and health educator at Los Gatos High School until her 1979 retirement, at which time she and her husband moved to Groveland.
In Groveland, the couple established the Deer Flat Christmas Tree Farm. In her free time, Owen enjoyed horseback riding, square dancing with the Poison Oakers, making quilts, swimming, snorkeling, camping, hiking, gardening, reading and playing games with her grandchildren.
Owen was preceded in death by Walter, her husband of 55 years. Survivors include daughter Ellie Owen and partner Patricia of Groveland; daughter and son-in-law Wendy and Robert Francis of Seattle; sons and daughters-in-law Dr. Robert and Tracy Owen of San Luis Obispo and Peter and Ghislaine Owen of Tahiti; grandchildren Georgia and Rob Francis, Erica and Michael Owen and Manutea Owen; also sister and brother-in-law Betty and Robert Fletcher; sister Marty Paddock; brother John Binns; 14 nieces and nephews--and her beloved horse, Cody.
Memorial services have been held. Donations can be made to the Mother Lode Chapter of PFLAG, P.O. Box 361, Soulsbyville, 95372, or to People for Puget Sound, 911 Western Ave., Suite 580, Seattle, WA 98104.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
