Joe L. Ownbey

Joe L. Ownbey was born on July 14, 1936, and entered his heavenly home on March 7th, 2019. Joe was born at his grandparents home northeast of Campo, Colorado to Bud and Maude Fisher Ownbey. He grew up on the family farm. He attended all 12 years of school at Vilas, Colorado. Joe also attended Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas and Lamar Community College.

Joe accepted Jesus as his Savior on Easter Sunday in 1949. A few years later, while laying in a hammock looking up at the stars, Joe realized he had never asked the Lord to forgive him and be his Personal Savior. On that night, Joe knelt beneath those stars and prayed for the Lord to forgive him of his sins and come into his life.

Joe married Zoretta Schaffner on August 19, 1956. They were blessed with four children: William Joe (Bill), July 5th, 1957, Sherry Kathleen, February 4th, 1960, John Lynn, February 27th,1962 and Robert Eugene, November 26th, 1965. Over the years Joe and Zoretta had over 36 foster children in their home and one, Steve Landers, is still a part of their lives.

Joe was a member of the Campo Baptist Church serving as deacon and trustee. Joe later moved his membership to the Springfield Baptist Chapel upon moving to Springfield from the family farm. Joe and Zoretta built a home on the family farm, where they labored tirelessly raising their family, farm animals and growing crops. Joe loved animals especially horses. One wintery, rainy day one of the horses had a colt. When Joe found it he picked it up and carried it to the barn where he dried it off and worked to save its life. They appropriately named that colt “Stormy”. Anytime Joe went into the corral, Stormy would follow him with his head on his shoulder. Joe later gave Stormy to his granddaughter who loved horses and had a place to keep and take care of him.

After moving to town in 2008, Joe went to work at the Long Term Care Center as a CNA. Joe loved to play the harmonica at church and especially enjoyed working with Cowboy camps. One of Joe’s favorite hobbies was woodworking. Joe took an old oak table that his parents had when they married and made each child, and married grandchildren a shelf from it.

A story Joe wanted to share from his youth with us involved the first gun he received as a gift. Trying to be helpful, which Joe loved to be, he had a very odiferous outcome. His Grandmother Ownbey lived about three miles north of the family farm. Grandma Ownbey had been complaining about skunks under the chicken house, and Joe decided he and this gun could solve the problem. Joe crawled under the chicken house and after shooting around 30 skunks he proclaimed victory. When he asked for a ride home, Grandma Ownbey quickly told him he could walk home. How his mother dealt with his not so lovely aroma he did not share with us, but I am sure she tried several solutions.

Joe is survived by his wife, Zoretta from Springfield, CO. He had four siblings and is survived by his sister Sharon Jordan and her husband Vernon from Pueblo West, Colorado. Joe and Zoretta have four children, Bill and Rita Ownbey from Hutchinson, Kansas, Sherry and Mike Jorgensen from Blackfoot, Idaho, John and Dee Ownbey from Springfield, Colorado, Robert and Angela Ownbey from Erie, Colorado and Steve and LeAnn Landers from Guymon, Oklahoma. They have eleven grandchildren, Tara and Mark Hager from West Lafayette, Indiana, Kean and Rylee Ownbey from Kenny Lake, Alaska, Amber and Mike Ingle from Springfield, Colorado, Nancy and Tom Bond from Manter, Kansas, Levi and Cassie Bachman from Campo, Colorado, Aaron and Charlie Bachman from Alva, Oklahoma, Ashley Leader from Blackfoot, Idaho, Brody Ownbey from Pueblo, Colorado, Demi and T’Neil Magdaleno from Rocky Ford, Colorado, Kyla Ownbey from Longmont, Colorado and Dustin Ownbey from Gunnison, Colorado, Sydney and Trinity Landers from Guymon, Oklahoma. They have fourteen soon to be fifteen great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents Bud and Maude Ownbey, brothers William and Gene, sister Karen Hoeffner and grandson William Trent Ownbey.

Memorial contributions may be given to the SECHD Long Term Care Center, 373 E. 10th Ave., Springfield, CO 81073