Richard Norman Owings

Born: b 1932, Caldwell, Idaho

Married: Louise Kathryn Mencarini b1934, 1956, Lodi, California, d 2006 Richland WA

Children: David Richard Owings, b 1958, Berkeley, California

Diane Elizabeth Owings, b 1961, Salinas, California

Lisa Lorraine Owings, b 1962, Lodi, California

 

Information:

Louise Mencarini was born in Lodi California in 1934. At the age of 21 she was accepted as a flight attendant for TWA. She and a girlfriend celebrated with a trip to Santa Cruz before Louise flew to Kansas for training. It was there (in a café) that she met Dick. Despite the fact that he claims to have known immediately that she was the one for him, it took him about a year to convince her to marry him. They were wed on December 8, 1956. They were looking forward to celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Despite not quite making it to their 50th, they were blessed with a lifetime of love, and were a powerful example for their children.

As Dick rose through the ranks of the Union Oil Company, he and Louise made homes up and down the west coast. For the most part Louise stayed home to care for her children. She was the kind of mother we all deserve, loving and creative. She took great joy in her family (immediate and extended). Once the last of their children was off in college, Dick and Louise began the adventure of a lifetime. They moved to Eastern Washington and started a premium wine grape vineyard. Once again, their incredible relationship with each other was their safety net. They eventually sold the vineyard, but had developed such relationships in the community of Othello, that they chose to stay.

Louise lived a very healthy life until Acute Myelogenous Leukemia took hold this past August. Her faith allowed her to take her illness on with peace in her heart. Never once in the course of her 2 1⁄2 month illness did she ever lose faith, or complain. On the contrary she spent her last days singing, making us laugh, and thanking the Lord for all her blessings. On occasion she would ask for help getting out of bed just to dispense hugs, or for a brief dance. Just as she taught us to live with grace and a loving heart, she taught us to die with the same. Dick was at her bedside daily. Regardless of whatever pain of discomfort she was experiencing, she always just beamed when he walked in. Their love for each other was great enough that when it was time to let Louise go, Dick did so graciously. He was at her bedside when she passed peacefully the evening of October 12, 2006.