Arthur Ray (Humpie) Owens

Family record of:  Arthur Ray (Humpie) Owens
Son of:  Columbus Woddard (Jack) Owens
Grandson of:  Robert (Bob) Lee Owens and Caroline

Arthur Ray Owens is buried at Refuge Cemetery in Houston County TX.

Name:  Arthur Ray (Humpie) Owens

Birth Date:  April 3, 1922

Birth Place:  Jayton, TX
Death Date:  August 21, 1975
Burial Place:  Refuge Cemetery. Houston Co., TX -  East of Grapeland TX.
Fathers Name:  Columbus Woodard Owens
Mothers Name:  Effie Leola Cutler Owens
Occupation:  Aircraft mechanic in Houston TX.

He was a Mason, a Sergeant in WWII, a member of the Episcopalian church, smoked cigarettes.
Education:  Grapeland High School Grapeland TX.
Died of heart failure age 53

Spouse:  Helen Anna Kopecky

Birth Date:  June 2, 1925
Death date & Burial Place:  will be beside Arthur at Refuge Cemetery
Birth Place:  home in Jordanton TX in Atascosa Co. TX. near San Antonio
Marriage Date & Place:  August 25,1945
Spouse Father:  Rudolph Kopecky
Spouse Mother:  Elizabeth Anna Kodytek
Occupation:  Homemaker, seamstress. She worked for 10 years for Pasadena Independent School District as a food service worker. She worked from age 50 on as a seamstress sewing wet suits for several years and draperies for several years. Helen lived at 25131 Broughton Spring TX the home she and Arthur Ray had built in 1970. She had breast cancer at about age 35 and a second time at about age 45 and a third time at age 80 and survived.
Education:  Stephen F. Austin H.S. in Houston TX, Helen was raised in East Bernard TX.

 

Children:
1.   Arthur Michael Owens June 17, 1947 Peggy Sue Robbins
2.   Peggy Ann Owens Julian Sept. 29, 1948 Ronny Dean Julian
3.  Carol Ann Owens Revia October 20, 1954 Earnest Leon Revia

Arthur Ray lived only 2 years in Jayton. The family moved back to Grapeland, TX. His father was a farmer. He played football at Grapeland High. He moved to Houston and worked for Folgers coffee and played on the company baseball team. He joined the Air Force in World Ware II and was trained as an aircraft mechanic. We was promoted to rank of Sergeant but the war was over before he saw any overseas action. From letters he sent home to his mother and she kept we know on May 5, 1943 he was stationed at the Amarillo Texas air force base and sent a mothers day card.

He met Helen Kopecky when they lived on the same street in east Houston. She was from East Bernard Texas. Her family had come from Checkslovicia. They were married in 1945. He moved to Galveston and worked as an aircraft mechanic at Sholes field. He worked at Cameron Iron Works helping build Interstate 45, the gulf freeway, near Texas City Texas. He worked for the Air Research subsidiary of the Garrett Corporation as an aircraft inspector. He was taught to inspect the Lear jet aircraft and helicopters. He was licensed to fly aircraft for mechanical testing. He liked to play cards, hunting and fishing. He was 5'9", wt. 135 lbs. He had black hair all of his life but was balding with a high forehead. He was active in the Episcopal Church (St Barnabas) in South Houston TX., and Holy Comforter in Spring TX. He served several years on the vestry at St Barnabas and was the senior warden one year. He designed and built go-carts for his grand children.


Arthur Ray loved Grapeland and often returned with his family for visits. He died suddenly of heart failure while running trotlines for catfish on Lake Houston in August 1975. His body was flown by airplane from Houston to Palestine and then taken by hearse to Grapeland and then the next day the funeral was held at the cemetery grounds of Refuge in Houston County Texas.


Data by:  Arthur Michael Owens 2009, 27106 Windy Grove Lane Cypress, TX 77433