James "Jim" Ashford Owens, Jr., 71, of Oklahoma City, left this earth for Heaven on Monday, February 19th, 2024.

Jim was born in Corpus Christi on April 16, 1952, to James, Sr. and Elizabeth Owens. Jim's family relocated to Oklahoma City in 1958 where they bought a home in south OKC. He attended and graduated from U.S Grant High School in 1970 and later attended UCO where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.

Jim married the love of his life, Barbara "Suzanne" Singleton, on April 25, 1975. They were blessed with two sons, Paul and Ross. Jim and Suzanne raised their family in a Christian home, and they were faithful members at Southern Hills Baptist Church for over 20 years and Sunnyside Baptist for many years prior.

Jim worked many jobs over the years starting in construction, then oil lease acquisition, moving on to rental yard management, and ending his career in marketing and sales for various manufacturers and fabricators of custom cabinetry, store fixtures and counter tops.

Jim will always be remembered for his ability to have a conversation and make friends with anybody he came across. He had a larger-than-life personality and had a funny line or comment for most he crossed paths with.

He loved to fish, having no shortage of boyhood stories from either the surf of south Texas, catching redfish as long as he was tall, or from the swamps of Georgia, fishing out of a wooden boat with his father and grandfather. He would say that he and his dad would fish while his grandfather would bail water out of the boat with one hand and shoot snakes and alligators with the other. He and his sons have countless treasured memories fishing together in his two-man bass boat. The last few years, he enjoyed sending pictures of his latest catch to his sons and gloating in his retirement.

He and Suzanne loved spending time at the beach, frequenting Port Aransas in south Texas. He always said that he would love to retire to the beach. He loved buying shrimp straight off the back of the shrimping boats in the morning and then frying them for dinner that evening.

After they became empty nesters, they bought a Honda Goldwing trike and became quite involved with their local "gang" going to frequent meetings and get togethers as well as travelling all over the United States. Jim and Suzanne were both very much loved by and active with their friend group from church. They were known to carouse at many a local restaurant on Friday nights each week with their church friends.

He will be terribly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James Sr. and Elizabeth, and his sister, Pam.

He leaves cherished memories with his wife of 48 blessed years, Suzanne; son, Paul, his wife, Natalie, their children, Avery, Dane, Campbell, and Brylee; son, Ross, his wife, Jessica, and their children Hadley, Beau, and Rory Kate; as well as countless friends, other family members and loved ones.