Jeff Owens was born September 15, 1971, in Sikeston, Missouri, to Danny Willis Owens and Melvina Darlene (Buchanan) Owens; he passed away Friday, June 6, 2025, at the age of 53, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
Survivors include his parents, one brother, Mark Willis Owens of Batesville; one nephew, Michael Willis Owens; a niece, Monica Elizabeth Owens; four aunts, Elizabeth Turley, Deveda Hamra, and Nancy Black and husband Allen, and Penny Sitzes. One uncle, Tim Owens and wife Belinda, numerous cousins, and many dear friends.
He is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Willis and Bernice Owens, and his maternal grandparents, Orvel and Mary Buchanan.
Jeff graduated high school from Sikeston High School, attended Harding University in Searcy, and graduated from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
Jeff began his career at the Parks and Recreation Department in Jonesboro and started his role with the City of Batesville’s Parks and Recreation Department on June 30, 2011. The first ”official” thing he did when he came to Batesville was to tear down a playground over by what is now The River restaurant. But city leaders had a vision that went beyond cosmetic upgrades. They wanted a beacon to bring tourism, a venue to develop opportunities, a location for programs of all ages, and a team leader to tie everything together. Hence, the Batesville Community Center opened in 2017. He improved and implemented many projects for the City of Batesville’s Parks and Recreation Department and served on the board of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Jeff was also a part-time firefighter for the Batesville Fire Department, where he worked on the high rope rescue team, a specialized team that rescues people stranded in hard-to-reach areas. He also served on the Independence County Sheriff’s Department dive team.
Jeff had many hobbies, he was an adrenaline junkie. He enjoyed rock climbing, mountain bike racing, scuba diving, and rescuing Weimaraners. He worked for 12 years with the Arkansas Weimaraner Rescue organization, helping foster and transfer dogs.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Batesville Community Center on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. A visitation prior to the service will begin at 12 noon until service time.
Memorials may be made in his honor to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741, or Harrison Street Church of Christ Youth Program, 1536 Harrison St, Batesville, AR 72501, or the Humane Society of Independence County, 5 Environmental Drive, Batesville, AR 72501.
