Sidney Ronald Owens, 80, of Roanoke, Virginia, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on February 12th after a lengthy battle with cancer. Being a native of Patrick County, Ron was born on September 13, 1943, in Stuart, Virginia, to the late Guy Lamar and Emogene Hughes Owens. Ron was a loving brother to the late Marilee Janelle Owens Schmidt of Maryland and to the late Jeffrey Leroy Owens of Roanoke, and uncle to the late Bruce Schmidt of Maryland. Left to carry his memory are his brother Hughes Lamar Owens and wife Darla of Forest, his nieces Audrey Owens (Neville), Allison Owens (Tom), Beth-Ann Owens Lugar (David), his nephew Glen Schmidt (Dawn), Bruce’s wife Brigitte, and the many great-nieces and nephews who loved him.
After Ron graduated from Stuart High School in 1961, he came to Roanoke to attend National Business College and received his degree in Business Administration. He then worked for ten years at Appalachian Power Company’s General Offices in Roanoke in the Accounting and Transportation Department and served in the Virginia Army National Guard as a Sergeant (E5). In 1973, Ron began his real estate career with the late James L. Trinkle of C.W. Francis & Son Realtors, earning many sales recognitions and awards, all multiple years in a row. He was dedicated to helping families find the perfect home and enjoyed working with so many individuals in our community. He was further recognized for his achievements by receiving the Roanoke Valley Sales and Marketing Executives Distinguished Sales Award. In 1980, Ron received his Certified Residential Brokerage Manager designation, and he and his late brother, Jeffrey L. Owens, co-founded Owens & Company Realtors that same year.
Ron successfully served his community as an Associate Broker and Vice President of Owens & Company Realtors for the next twenty-four years. Ron always attributed his real estate success to his “daily dependence upon and trust in God,” and his dedication to the people in his community, and the Real Estate profession led to Owens & Company Realtors becoming the largest residential Real Estate Brokerage Firm in Virginia west of Richmond. Every year after founding Owens & Company Realtors, his company received the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors Honor Firm and Distinguished Service Award, he truly enjoyed contributing to and participating in numerous civic, charitable, and faith-based ministry organizations in the Roanoke Valley and at Smith Mountain Lake. He was appointed as past Chairman of the Virginia Real Estate Board and served as co-chair of the Board Education Advisory Council to help in establishing licensure and continuing education requirements for the state’s real estate licenses. His real estate career as an Associate Broker continued in 2004 when Owens & Company Realtors was sold to Long & Foster Realtors, and he would continue helping families in their home search for the next nineteen years.
Being a dedicated and passionate person of the Christian faith, Ron first found his love of Christ alongside his parents and family in his hometown and at Shenandoah Baptist Church in Roanoke where he gave his life to Christ and served faithfully for 37 years. Above all else, Ron cherished his relationship with God, and the opportunity to share his faith and love of Christ with those around him. He gave much of his time as Board Chairman of the Roanoke Valley Child Evangelism Fellowship and was able to share the word of God with so many for over forty years. Ron was also able to touch many lives in the name of Christ as a member of the Roanoke West Camp of Gideons International. His love for missions was inspired by Christ’s last command in the Bible to take the Gospel to all Nations! He continued to reach others and share the Christian faith as a Board Member of Christ Life Ministries and currently served as a trustee member of Trinity Baptist Church and Trinity Christian School in Stuart, Virginia. Through his numerous acts of service and acts of faith, Ron was able to contribute so much to his local community of Roanoke, and his home community of Patrick County. He resided in Roanoke City and was a recipient of the Historic Preservation Award given by the city. He still maintained the family farm in the Five Forks area of Stuart and spent most weekends there. Ron’s fellowship will be greatly missed by many.
Moody Funeral Home is serving the family. A graveside service to celebrate Ron’s life will be held at Creasey’s Chapel Church Cemetery located at 73 Creasey Chapel Rd, Stuart, VA. Pastor Chad Harrison will be officiating along with Pastors Tammy Franklin and Bob Alderman at 11:00 AM on February 21, 2024. The family requests that those wishing to make a memorial contribution do so to: Trinity Christian Church, P.O. Box 160, Stuart, VA 24171, Child Evangelism Fellowship of The Roanoke Valley, P.O. Box 202, Roanoke, VA 24002, The Gideons Roanoke City West Camp, P.O. Box 3329, Roanoke, VA 24015 or Good Samaritan Hospice, 2408 Electric Road, Roanoke, VA 24018. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.moodyfuneralservices.com.
