Johnnie Lewis Owenby, Sr.

Mr. Johnnie Lewis Owenby, Sr., of 328 Pineland Rd., Union, widower of Mable Vanderford Owenby, passed away Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at Mary Black Memorial Hospital. Mr. Owenby was born in Blairsville, GA February 28, 1928, a son of the late Grady D. Owenby and Flora Cope Owenby. He had attended Union County Schools and retired from Excelsior Mills and also retired from the City of Union Waste Water Department. Mr. Owenby was a Veteran of the US Air Force having served in World War II in Germany. He attended Union Church of God. Surviving are two daughters: Wanda Lockaby and Carol Rae Gault both of Union; two sons: Roger Owenby and wife Zora Lee of Enoree and John Owenby, Jr and wife Sherry of Charlotte, NC; three sisters: Alice Harris of Union, Dorothy Crocker of Buffalo and Mary Sue Bailey of Greer; five grandchildren: Renae V. Adams of Union, Melissa V. McBride of Spartanburg, Taryn Slaughter of Randlow, NC, David Owenby of Jonesville and April Nichols of Spartanburg and seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Mr. Owenby was predeceased by a daughter, Karen Sue Spencer; three grandsons: Ricky Vaughan, Roger Owenby, Jr and Kevin Owenby; a sister and six brothers. Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Friday, May 1, 2015 at New Life Baptist Church conducted by Rev. Shannon Faulkner. Burial will be in Rosemont Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be held 6:00-8:00 PM Thursday evening at the SR Holcombe Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Union Church of God, 1113 Thompson Blvd, Union, SC 29379 or to New Life Baptist Church, 502 Meansville Rd., Union, SC 29379. The family is at the home of his daughter, Wanda Lockaby, 747 Brown's Creek Church Rd., Union.