Vera Owen 1917-2010

We’re supposed to go to school to learn the three Rs. You know readin’, ritin’ and rithmitic. Vera Owen, bless her soul, was an English teacher for 42 years and she probably taught me as much as any teacher I had during my time in Heavener public schools, through all the grades, 1st through 12th.

The last time I was in Heavener for a funeral was J.F. Johnston and I sat next to Mrs. Owen. Just like J.F., she was 91-years-old. We talked about her and J.F. being the same age. Mrs. Owen was still sharp as a tack, still remembered me well and we laughed about some of the old days when I was still in high school. Mrs. Owen will be missed but will never be forgotten. When I heard of her passing, I immediately thought of her as my favorite teacher in school. So did a lot of other former students. Here are a few:

To my fellow HHS Alumni: I received several calls today of the passing of Vera Owen: an awesome teacher who devoted her life directing her students to do their very best and stay clear from “fools mountain”. My thoughts and prayers are with John, Linda, Rusty and their families. We will remember you, Mrs. Owen! Thank you for caring!

-- Anita (Robertson) Norman (on Facebook)

“Thank you for telling me about Vera. I thought she was a good person and an outstanding teacher.”

-- Bob Collins (coach and teacher at Heavener in the early 1960s)

Truly a loss of a wonderful woman, fantastic teacher. She’ll be missed. Thanks for letting me know.

-- Lee (Johnson) Lewallen

I was talking to one of my grandsons the other day and he asked me who my favorite teacher was. Didn't even have to think about that one! It was my English teacher, Mrs. Owen, of course!

-- Dayle (Dedmon) Reinkober

Thanks so much for letting me know. She was one of my favorite teachers.

-- Sylvia (Frizell) Ritzky

Gladys says thank you very much ... Think she was Gladys's favorite teacher. She said she was such a good teacher.

-- Wesley Minor, husband of Gladys (Luman) Minor.

Linda Roop had told me she wasn't doing well ... I'm sorry to hear that, but thanks for letting me know. She was a very good teacher.

-- Lalia (Click) Tate

Thanks, I also got one from Donald Frost. She was my eighth grade English teacher.

-- Glen Lazalier

Thanks very much for the notice. She was one of my favorite teachers.

-- Duane Mead

My daughter is a nurse that works for Select Care that has a floor of Sparks Hospital leased. She helped take care of her and said that Mrs. Owen remembered me well and was very sharp until about four days before she passed.

-- Dwayne Bain

And, other email responses from Chuck Hudlow, Steve Mattison, Karen Steed, who all thought very highly of Mrs. Owen. Most of my classmates in 1965 voted her their favorite teacher and we signed a card for her when we were all together this past summer for our reunion after hearing that she had fallen. Anita indicated the very same thing about the class of ’66.