(10/10/14) Middletown - James Chippendale Owen, 77, died Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at home. He was the beloved husband of Betty Jane Northup-Owen.
Born in Fall River, MA, the son of the late James J. and Nora (Chippendale) Owen, he was a graduate of Monsignor Coyle High School, Taunton, MA and he attended Brown University and the University of Rhode Island. He lived in Coventry before moving to Middletown in 2003 and was a winter resident of the Sarasota, Florida area.
He served in the United States Naval Reserves from 1954-1962. He worked as a Physical Plant Engineer for the State of Rhode Island State Department of Corrections at the Super Maximum Prison in Cranston.
Since 1975 Jim has had strong ties to the Masonic Fraternity. His affiliations include Noquochoke Lodge A.F. & A.M., Westport, MA; St. John’s Lodge No. 1 Providence; Providence Chapter No. 1, Royal Arch Masons; the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Providence; Sahib Shriners, Sarasota, FL; St. John’s Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar.; the Rhode Island Shriners, where he was active with the Director’s Staff & Clown Unit and, the Masonic Veterans Association of RI.
In Chicago, IL on August 29, 2006 Jim was coronated a 33 degree Mason, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council of North America, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Most recently Jim served as Regional Chairman of the Scottish Rite Character Builder Leadership Committee and was an active fundraiser for the Children’s Learning Center of RI. He also belonged to Elks Lodge 104, Newport and American Legion Post 18, Portsmouth.
Jim was active in Democratic politics statewide and especially in Coventry. He was a senior arbitrator for the Council of the Better Business Bureaus, Inc. and he belonged to the Naval War College Foundation in Newport, RI. He was an accomplished clarinetist in his youth playing with well-known bands as they traveled through southeastern Massachusetts. He also was a Notary Public in Kent County.
In addition to his wife, he leaves behind one son: James Thomas Owen & his wife Krista of Johnston, RI; one daughter: Linda Mello of Massachusetts; two brothers: John Arthur Owen & his wife Virginia of Westport, MA and Francis David Owen of Little Compton, RI; one sister: Mary Elizabeth Manning & her husband Alan of Tonka Bay, MN; a niece and numerous nephews & grandnephews. He loved dearly his dogs, the Mini Pin, Heidi, the Sheltie, Dolly and the conger parrot, Tony!
Calling hours will be held on Monday, October 13 from 4:00 - 7:00 PM at Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home & Crematory, 659 East Greenwich Avenue, West Warwick. A Masonic memorial service will be held Monday at 7 PM at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, October 14 at 11:00 am in Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Blvd., Providence.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to: Scottish Rite Almoner Fund, P.O. Box 519, Lexington, MA 02420 or to: the Children\'s Dyslexia Center of RI, One Rhodes Place, Cranston, RI 02905 or to: Shriners Hospitals For Children, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104-2396. Remembrances may be offered on line at carpenterjenks.com.
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