Donald Lee Owen

Donald Lee Owen, 83, passed away January 11th at Karen Acres Health Care Center in Urbandale, Iowa. Don was born March 15, 1939 to John Vernon and Beatrice (McIntosh) Owen in Millerton, Iowa. Don was raised a country boy - hunting and fishing and working with his Dad. Don graduated from Corydon High School in 1958 and went from working with his Dad after school and summers to full-time employment as a carpenter.  They painted, remodeled and built new structures. The business expanded when they added siding, windows, doors and awnings.  Don made many trips to Des Moines for a pickup load of supplies.

Don had a very logical thought process and explored how things work or could work better. He enjoyed experimenting with electricity and rocketry.  After Sputnik launched, he and a friend decided they could build a rocket. They set to work, and chose an isolated spot in the country to launch. They erred in the making of their propellant, and with a mighty blast, their rocket was destroyed. The failed effort was fondly recalled many years later in Millerton. He never lost his love of science and technology, and was able to continue his experimentation with rockets years later with his sons.

Don joined the United States Army in 1961. After basic training at Fort Carson, Colorado, he completed his two-year tour of duty as a clerk at Munson Army Hospital, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He returned home and resumed working as a carpenter.

In 1967, he earned his associates degree in electronics from DeVry.  March of that year, he began his career with IBM, working as a customer engineer on mainframe computer systems. He took pride in having earned 4 Means Service Awards from IBM for excellence in customer service. Don left IBM in 1998, then took a position with MSI - a business partner to IBM - working an additional 3 years before retiring. Don enjoyed getting together with other retired IBMers for breakfast at the Machine Shed or lunch at Maxie’s.

He traveled a good deal for work, but also for pleasure. He returned many times to Florida, Hawaii and Lake of the Ozarks. Whether diving in the Caribbean, water skiing in the Ozarks, boating at Saylorville Lake, or just listening to the radio and talking by the backyard pool, his relaxation and down time often involved water.

Don liked cars and was a General Motors fan. Over the years, he had a number of Chevrolets, pickups, SUVs, Buicks, a Pontiac - and finally the car of his youthful dreams - Corvette. Not one, but 4 - 1991, 1996, 1999 and 2006.  Don purchased one more Corvette, but it was not for himself.  It was a little pink Corvette for his granddaughters. It was only when he needed to buy a Grampa car that he ventured out of the land of GM and into Ford country. His last car was a 2017 Lincoln Continental.

Don met Karen Spannring in June 1988; they were married in September 1995 in Des Moines. They made their home in Urbandale and often shared it with friends, family and friends of family. Above all else, Don was a caring, genuine and generous husband, father, and friend. To be in Don’s inner circle meant you never had to want for anything that he could help provide.

Don is survived by his son Doug (Mary) Spannring and granddaughters Elizabeth and Olivia of Fort Collins, Colorado; his son Steve (Ashley) Spannring and grandson Jasper of Jakarta, Indonesia; brothers- and sisters-in-law Paul Howieson of Owatonna, Minnesota; Larry (Christie) Howieson of Crystal, Minnesota; Ruth Murray of Claremont, Minnesota; Barb Howieson of Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Shirley (Gene) Nelsen of St. Peter, Minnesota; Marilyn Howieson of Johnston, Iowa; Jim Boeke of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Harlan Remington of Janesville, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his wife of 27 years, his parents, brothers-in-law Jim, Bill, Andy, David, John, Chuck and Ron Howieson and Dick Murray and sisters-in-laws Marcella, Jean and Shirleen Howieson and Grace Boeke. Sister-in-law Judy Remington Passed away two days after Don, on January 13.

A funeral service will be held at 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home with a visitation one hour prior beginning at 4:00 p.m. Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 25, 2023 in the Hillside Cemetery in Claremont, MN. Memorials may be directed to the family for a future designation. Online condolences may be expressed at www.caldwellparrish.com.