Funeral service for Justine Gertrude Owen, 92, of West Liberty will be held 11 a,m. Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in West Liberty. Visitation will be Thursday from 9 until service time at the church.
The use of masks and social distancing will be requested. Burial will be in the North Prairie Cemetery, West Liberty. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfunerahome.com.
The funeral mass can be seen via live stream on the Henderson Barker Funeral Home Facebook page. In lieu of flowers Memorials in Justine’s name may be made to St Joseph’s Catholic Church, West Liberty, Simpson Memorial Home, West Liberty, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Justine died on Jan. 18, 2021 at Mercy Hospital, Iowa City. She had been a resident of Simpson Memorial Home since 2017.
Justine Gertrude Owen was born Oct. 23, 1928 to Albert and Marie (Bremhorst) Witte in St. Paul, Iowa.
The third of five children, she was raised near St. Paul, Iowa.
She was a 1946 high school graduate of West Point, Iowa and 1950 graduate of Mercy Hospital nurses training in Burlington, Iowa.
As a nurse, she worked at the Iowa Ordnance Plant in Burlington, Mercy Hospital in Burlington and Veterans Administration Hospital, Iowa City. She also spent 12 years as a school nurse for the West Liberty Community School District.
She married Don Owen of West Liberty on April 28, 1956, at St. James Church in St. Paul, Iowa. Justine continued to work at the VA Hospital for one year.
While raising their children, Justine was a school nurse and taught first grade catechism at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, West Liberty for 16 years.
She organized and helped serve many funeral dinners for St Joseph’s Church parishioners and was a member of the North Prairie Social Club for over 40 years.
She enjoyed gardening, flowers, canning and raised chickens, selling fresh country eggs to many people. She also played bridge and enjoyed family dinners.
Justine and Don enjoyed being with their family and attending their grandchildren’s activities.
Justine is survived by two sons and two daughters and their families including Janet (Martin) Stimson, of Center Point, Iowa; Bob (Geri) Owen, Jeff Owen and Karen (Kevin) Schemmel, all of West Liberty.
Also surviving are four grandchildren including Michael Owen of Iowa City, Matt (Hannah) Owen of Omaha, as well as Alyssa and Nathan Schemmel of Coralville. A great-granddaughter, Lainey Owen was born in May 2020 to Matt and Hannah Owen.
A sister, Maurine Kokjohn of Alabama, also survives.
Preceding her in death were her husband in 2017, parents, two brothers and a sister.
