Dr. Kenneth Owings

DR. KENNETH R. "DOC" OWINGS Dr. Kenneth Rector Owings, 88, passed into Heaven on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 in Lakeside Meadows Care Facility, Osage Beach, Missouri. He was born in Bates City, Missouri on January 11, 1925 to Rector Hicks and Beulah Hannah (Bainbridge) Owings. "Doc" as he was affectionately known to most was an exceptionally well liked man by all who knew him. He was such a kind gentleman with a loving heart and loved to visit and tell stories. He joined the Army Air Corp at age eighteen and was the Radio Operator on the B-29 Bomber during World War II based out of the Island of Guam. He was proud to serve his country and never stopped telling his "war stories" to anyone who liked to listen. The memoir of his military service is titled, "Don't Worry 'Bout A Thing" which was the name of the bomber in which he flew missions over Japan. Upon returning from the service he found his sweetheart and quickly married Bernice Lucille Kehler and the two enjoyed fifty years of marriage together during which time you rarely ever saw one without the other. They worked together, played together, fished and gardened together. Kenneth attended Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City, Missouri. He spent sixty years of his life devoted to that profession and loved making his patients feel better. His first practice was in Harrisonville, Missouri where they lived and raised their daughters, Virginia and Vivian. In 1970 they moved to the Lake Area where he had his Chiropractic office open for thirty-six years until he retired at age eighty-three and he missed it every day. To this day his family still has patients tell them that they will always miss him. Kenneth was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Community Christian Church of Camdenton and the Missouri State Chiropractic Association. When he wasn't in his office he was either enjoying fishing or gardening, his two favorite pastimes. Growing, picking and canning was a summer's joy to him even through last summer with his famous forty tomato plants. Another joy was watching his grandchildren at play. He was a kind and generous father, granddad and great-granddad. His family will treasure all of the things he taught them and the memories will forever be a joy to recall. Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Bernice. He is survived by one brother Dr. Richard Owings and by his two daughters, Virginia and husband Brent Benkelman and Vivian and husband David Percival. He was so proud of his four grandchildren, Jami and husband Wes Hedrick, Melissa and husband Seth Galitzer, Jason and wife Holly Percival, and Jeff and wife Cindy Percival. He also leaves his ten great- grandchildren, Emma, Molly, and Sophie Galitzer, Haley Hobbs and Emily, Hannah, Bella, David, Brooklyn and Judah Percival. He was so pleased to learn last week that two new great- grandbabies will be born in February. He said, "We will welcome and love them too." A few days before his passing he said, "What are they all going to do without me?" They will fondly remember a wonderful Great Granddad. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 23, 2013 in Community Christian Church, Camdenton under the direction of Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Burial with full military honors will follow in Allee Memorial Gardens, Camdenton. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Monday in the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Compassus and left at the funeral home. Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Camdenton is assisting the family with arrangements.