James Owens

Owens, James Robert 46, passed away peacefully at his home in Edina on Sunday, January 4, 2009. The son of Carol and the late Robert H. Owens, he was born April 2, 1962, in Minneapolis and grew up in Wayzata. Jim married Barbara Sussex, the love of his life, August 29, 1998. They were blessed with the birth of a son, Max, in 1999. Since 1994, Jim has worked at Owens Companies, Inc., engineering and contracting firm founded by his late father in 1957. There he was Vice-President, Head of the Automation Division and Director of Marketing. Jim graduated from Blake School in 1981, and earned his college degree from Bucknell University in 1986. In 1993, he was awarded an MBA by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Jim was an accomplished athlete. On April 13th, 1998, Jim collapsed while training for Grandma's Marathon. The next day he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Radiation therapy kept Jim stable for almost five years. The succeeding years involved multiple recurrences and seven different treatments to combat tumor progression. In spite of ongoing treatments, he continued to run, swim, cycle and participate in endurance events like the American Birkebeiner. Since 2002, Jim has been actively involved in the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) as a fundraiser, advocate and spokesperson as well as a lobbyist at the State Capitol and in Congress. He was selected to be a member of the 2004 Bristol-Meyers Squibb Tour of Hope Team completing a nine-day 24/7 cross-country trek from LA to Wash DC with Lance Armstrong and 19 other cyclists to spread the word of the importance of clinical trials and support cancer survivorship. In addition to his wife, Barb Owens, their son, Max, and his mother, Carol Owens, survivors include his siblings, Tom (Stephanie Prem), Mary Neal (David), John (Pat Strong), Nancy Fraser (Paul) and Catherine Duncan (Scott); Barb's father, Dr. Thomas Sussex; Barb's siblings, Janet Sussex, Deborah Sussex (Michael Dietzman) and James Sussex (Kathleen); 14 nieces and nephews, uncle and aunt, Jack and Idrys Owens. Visitation: Thursday, January 8, 2009, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Normandale Lutheran Church, Edina and one hour prior to the service at the church. Celebration of Jim's life will be Friday, January 9, 2009 at 11 a.m. at Normandale Lutheran Church, 6100 Normandale Rd., Edina, MN. Reception to follow service at Interlachen Country Club, 6200 Interlachen Blvd., Edina, MN. Interment at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. In lieu of flowers memorial are preferred to Lance Armstrong Foundation. Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

Tributes

James Owens

January 6, 2009

Tributes

James Owens

January 6, 2009

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