Sylvia Kay Owen

Sylvia Kay Owen, of the Personville community, went home to be with the Lord, unexpectedly leaving her earthly home and family following a brief bout with bronchitis, on Friday, December 19, 2014, at age 63. Visitation will be Sunday, December 21, 2014, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Monday, December 22, 2014, at 3:00 P.M., in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend J. R. Tapley officiating. Burial will follow in the Prairie Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Rusty Dyer, Matthew Dyer, Damon Davis, Phillip Leake, Buddy Owen, and Don Brock. Sylvia was born August 10, 1951, in Waxahachie to Jim Lloyd Skinner and Alma Gene Bigham Skinner. She grew up in Wilmer where she graduated from high school. Sylvia raised her first three children from her first marriage in Lancaster and was totally involved in caring for her family and their activities. Sylvia had been friends in Lancaster for many years with Modoc “Doc” Owen, and they were united in marriage on June 17, 1984. Her three children and his two sons became their new family, to which were added their twin girls (her second set of twins.) She became a very busy full-time Mom. In 1990, after the older children had graduated, Sylvia and Doc (who was originally from Mexia) moved to Personville to bring their younger girls to a smaller school. They both went to work for Groesbeck ISD, where she taught Special Ed, until retiring in May 2014. The family calls Sylvia their “funny Country Granny.” Some of her country experiences were bottle feeding a bull calf and one mean goat, as well as the kids 4-H project animals. She was known to tell “horrible” jokes of country life. Sylvia attended Lost Prairie Baptist Church and had a special love for Bro. Tapley, becoming acquainted with him after moving here and learning that he knew and grew up with her Dad. Sylvia dearly loved her family and her 14 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. She stayed in daily contact with them with a 9:00 phone call every night. She had attended the birth of every one of her grandbabies, the eighth one just a week ago. She was a tough lady, who overcame a very serious wreck with severe injuries 5 years ago, and was able to walk, in spite of predictions she never would, after a year and a half. While she still couldn’t talk, she wrote out her first request (“I want Sonic”.) Nevertheless, she was able to go back to work, and resume her quilting. She made a quilt for every child which was presented on their 30th. birthday, and had made one for each grandchild. She had already made a Christmas dress for the youngest grandchild this year. Her family greatly admired her ability and achievements that were “beyond amazing.” She taught all her kids how to live, how to laugh, and how to love, and told each one “she loved them to the moon and back.” She was a fantastic cook, and Thanksgiving gatherings never had a dull moment. She always prepared everyone’s favorite dishes. She had planned and prepared for the family’s Christmas celebration which was to be held this Saturday, with all her shopping completed, and was ready for the gathering together of her loved ones. They will be together this Sunday and Monday in honoring her and sharing their love for her with their endless wonderful memories. Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Steve Skinner and a sister, Jennifer Baker. She is survived by her husband, Doc Owen of Groesbeck; seven children and their families: daughter, Tracy Owen and husband Tom of Corsicana; son, Terry Owen and wife Debbie of Winona, MN; son, Kevin Henderson and wife Michelle of Rockwall; daughter, Karen Bailey of Rockwall; son, Jerry Owen and wife Kristy of Rockwall; daughter, Molly Owen of Fort Worth; daughter, Samantha Owen and Matt Reid of Fort Worth; fourteen grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren. There are also her sisters, Terry Crane and husband Ricky of Commerce, Debbie Dyer and husband Donald of Van Alstyne, Patty Rollison of Red Oak, Cindy Nowlin of Wilmer, and Sherli Manzo of Phoenix, AZ; and many, many nieces and nephews.