Gale Boatman Owings

Gale Boatman Owings, age 76, of Springfield, Mo., formerly of Nevada and Jenkins, Mo., passed away Monday, April 28, 2008, in his home.

He was born March 12, 1932, in Oak Grove, Mo., the son of Charles and Mary Ethel (Blucher) Owings. On May 24, 1964, he was united in marriage to Lavonne Wilson, who preceded him in death on Jan. 9, 2003. He was also preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.

He is survived by two sons, Chuck Owings and his wife Lois, of Nevada, and Mark Owings and his wife, Susan of Springfield; one daughter, Jodi Oglesby and her husband, Doyle, of Oak Grove, Mo.; five grandchildren, Tiffany (Owings) Hayworth and her husband Dan, of Lamar; Megan Owings, of Pittsburg, Kan., Seth Owings, of Nevada, Jenifer (Kearney) DeShazer and her husband Brandon, of Santa Rosa, Calif., and Ben Oglesby, of Lee Summit, Mo.; and one great-grandchild, Cody.

Gale grew up in Oak Grove, Mo., where he graduated from high school. He served in the United States Navy and was a mechanic in the Seabees. He went on to graduate from UMKC, with a Pharmaceutical Degree. He was a pharmacist in the Nevada and Lamar areas several years. In 1996 he retired to Jenkins to make his home, remaining there around 10 years. He then moved to Springfield, Missouri to live with his son, Mark.

Gale was a volunteer fire fighter and was Fire Chief several years for the Compton Junction Fire Department. His hobbies were reading and building and flying model air planes.

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, May 2, in Clio Cemetery, in Jenkins, Mo., under direction of Fohn Funeral Home, Cassville. There will be no visitation.

Contributions may be made to Regional Hospice of Springfield or Compton Junction Volunteer Fire Department, in Nevada.

Go to www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences.