Mary Eleanor Owen

Mary Eleanor Owen of Livermore died June 18. She was 96.

Owen was born Mary Eleanor Merch in Dayton, Ohio on May 21, 1919. Her parents were Hungarian immigrants to the United States. She moved to Livermore in 1955 with her first husband Charles Reitz who had an assignment at the Rad Lab, known now as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). After the sudden death of her husband in 1956, Owen set herself to the task of making a new life for herself and her three children, Barbara, Jim and Tom. She found a job at LLNL, purchased a new house, raised her three children and made many new friends. She worked at LLNL for 26 years as a mechanical technician and retired in 1982.

In 1963, she met Russ Owen, a carpenter and former rancher from Minnesota. They married in 1966. Along with her husband came three adult children, Sharon, Jim and Bill that Owen was glad to add to her list of children and enjoyed these new members of her extended family very much.

During her retirement years with her husband, Owen was very active with traveling, family, friends and volunteer work. She worked as a volunteer for the Livermore Chamber of Commerce and the VA Medical Center. Her volunteer work at the VA lasted for 14 years and she logged in more than 4000 hours. She was also an active member of the Odd Fellows Lodge #219 in Livermore.

With the passing of her husband in 1998, Mary began another phase of her life surrounded by her very supportive family and large group of friends. She volunteered at Friends of the Library for a few years and attended the LARPD exercise classes for seniors where she made some additional lasting friendships.

She was a wonderful person who loved life, her family and her many friends. Even with the frailties of her 96 years, she enjoyed family and friends and participated with gusto in the many bus trips and social activities at her Rosewood residence.

Owen is survived by daughter Barbara Kennedy of Kennewick, Washington; sons Jim and Tom Reitz and daughter in law Karin Reitz of Livermore; five grandchildren; two great grandchildren; stepchildren Jim Owen, Sharon Banks, Bill Owen and four step grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother, Fred Merch of Tipp City, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Charles Reitz and second husband, Russell Owen.

A graveside service was recently held at Memory Gardens in Livermore with a celebration of life following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hope Hospice at 6377 Clark Avenue, Suite 100, Dublin, CA 94568 in memory of Mary E. Owen.