William Magill “Bill” Owens, 72, of 376 Old Pond Road, Dorchester, husband of Victoria M. Owens, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, July 9, 2015, at his residence. Funeral Services will be held 3:00 PM Sunday at Bethel United Methodist Church, 1163 Beidler Forest Road, Harleyville, with the Reverend Bob Lee officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers will be Boyd Owens, David Owens, Owen Gudridge, Michael Gruber, Jr., T.J. Baker, Brandon Bair, Ethan Bair, and Johnny Kincaid. Honorary Pallbearers will be his Citadel classmates and friends Bill Gunter and Bobby Carter. Visitation will be Saturday evening from 5:00-7:00 PM at Bryant Funeral Home, St. George. Bill was born on September 1, 1942, in Summerville, SC, a son of the late William Oscar Owens, Jr. and Doris Magill Owens. He was a 1960 graduate of St. George High School where he was an outstanding athlete and a 1964 graduate of The Citadel where he played on the Bulldogs football team. He was commissioned as a 2nd LT in the U.S. Army and served in Quartermaster Corp, graves registration Vietnam. He was a newspaper publisher, editor, and owner of The Dorchester Eagle Record, in St. George, following his grandfather, H. Boyd McGill and his mother Doris “Teeny” Owens. He also was a teacher and coached at both St. George High and Dorchester Academy. He was a member of the National Cutting Horse Association, had several champion cutting horses and enjoyed competing, and was an avid outdoorsman. He especially enjoyed deer hunting with his grandsons, and fishing. He loved attending his children and grandchildren’s sporting events and was a vocal sports fan. He was first a member of St. George United Methodist Church and was an active member of Bethel United Methodist Church where he was on the Church Council, Evangelism chair, Trustee, Choir Member and Sunday school teacher. He enjoyed cooking supper for family and friends every Sunday night and was especially known for his delicious spaghetti sauce, chili, his open door policy at family meal time, and his rutabagas, which were always requested for Bethel’s church dinners. He was predeceased by a son, William M. “Will” Owens, Jr. Surviving are his wife, Victoria “Vicky” Mims Owens, Dorchester; three daughters, Julie O. (Anthony) McAlhany, Reevesville, Jessica O. (Rob) Slater, Dayton, Ohio and Ashley Owens, North Charleston; grandchildren, Thomas, Nick and Julianna McAlhany, Emme and Harper Slater, and Harrison Champagne; a brother, Jerry B. (Debby) Owens, St. George; and, a sister, Kathleen (Lindsay) Gudridge, Augusta, GA; and nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, c/o Donna Jo Walsh, 314 Mallard Lake Rd., Dorchester. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston
Posted in: The Post and Courier
Posted on: 2015-07-10
Link to original obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/charleston/obituary.aspx?n=william-magill-owens-bill&pid=175257371&fhid=5904#sthash.1bjvJbKn.dpuf