Barbara Blankenship Owens

Barbara Blankenship Owens, formerly of Asheville, died Thursday, June 26, 2005, in Twentynine Palms, CA. Mrs. Owens was born January 17, 1915, and was the daughter of the late Charlie and Helen Robinson Blankenship. She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Carl Owens, a sister Mary Mahoney, and two brothers Rob and Phil Blankenship. Mrs. Owens began working in a law office in 1943. In 1951 she became Administrative Assistant to the US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and in 1974 she was chosen NC Legal Secretary of the Year. For the past 17 years Mrs. Owens lived in Twentynine Palms. Not only was her daughter, Beth, her neighbor and best friend, she became the person who met her every need. Mrs. Owens was 90 when she died peacefully in her home. Survivors include one daughter, Beth Wiederhold of Twentynine Palms; two sons and daughters-in-law, Carl and Barbara Owens of Orange, VA, and Bette and Philip Owens of Asheville; seven grandchildren, Craig and Lauren Wiederhold, Wyn and Cid Owens, Becky Jacobs, Audrey Wise and Deborah King, and fourteen great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be conducted at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, June 25, in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home with Pastor Ken Lewis of West Asheville Baptist Church officiating. Her family will receive friends at the funeral home immediately following the service. The family requests memorials to Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital, 68 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803, where Mrs. Owens was a volunteer worker for many years.