Leroy Owens

Leroy Hubert Owens, 96, of Union City, formerly of Clarksdale, Miss., passed away at the Obion County Nursing home, on June 16, 2020.
Graveside services will be held in Clarksdale at Oakridge Cemetery on Friday, June 19, 2020, at 1:30 p.m., with Dr. Cecil Sewell officiating.
Pallbearers are all the family members and honorary pallbearers are the members and friends of the Hardees Coffee club in Union City.
White-Ranson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Leroy Owens was born on Oct. 3, 1923, in Dell, Ark. His parents were A.C. and Artie Bourland Owens. Leroy was a cute redhead and was fondly known as “Red.” He was the oldest of eight children and was the last living sibling.
Leroy graduated from Manila High School in 1942. He went to Memphis and worked on a boat on the Mississippi River. In 1945, he returned to Blytheville, Ark., to work in his Daddy’s farm equipment store. In 1948, Leroy joined the Delta Farm Equipment Company. They had six stores and he worked in Manila, Ark., and Vicksburg, Miss., before he decided to go to Alaska, where he stayed for three years. In Alaska, Leroy worked with the ground crew for a coal mine. He drove 5,200 miles by himself to Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1957.
When Leroy came home, he returned to the farm equipment business. In 1962, Leroy moved to Clarksdale to work for Delta Farm Equipment again. In 1965, Leroy married Julia O’Neal.
In 1985, after several years of friendship, Leroy Owens married Mary Lois Jordan. Leroy and Mary Lois loved to travel. They traveled to all 50 states and several foreign countries, including China, Japan and the Holy Land. Their next move was to Union City in 2002 to be near their grandson, Eli Lyn Jordan. In Union City, they were active members of First Baptist Church, where they formed many lifelong friendships. Leroy loved his life in Union City and enjoyed fellowship with friends at his morning coffee gatherings.
Leroy is survived by stepsons, Dr. Rob Jordan (Stacy) of Union City and Steve O’Neal (Charlotte) of Bartlett; grandsons, Shane Jordan (Emily) of Senatobia, Miss., Kameron Jordan (Anna) of Madison, Miss., Justin O’Neal of Bartlett and Eli Jordan of Union City; granddaughters, Moriah O’Neal Schottel of Collierville and Jennifer Jordan McGimsey (Brian) of Shreveport, La.; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by Julia O’Neal Owens and Mary Lois Jordan Owens; stepsons, Hilliard O’Neal, Lyn Jordan and Russell Jordan; sisters, Marguerite Owens Deason (Claude), Mildred Owens Ferguson (John), Kicky Owens Ziegler (Joe) and Gracie Owens Morrison (Bill); and brothers, Laverne Owens (Maxine), Vance Owens (Laverne) and Max Owens.