James "Jim" L. Owens, 78, of Kennewick, WA, welcomed by his ancestors, unexpectedly walked on at his home, and returned to be with the Great Spirit on July 13, 2023.

Jim was born in Yakima, WA on August 13, 1944 to James and Gerry Owens, and grew up on the Yakama Indian Reservation along with his younger sister Sandi. While growing up, Jim worked long hours in the fields and orchards along the Ahtanum and enjoyed spending quality time with his maternal grandparents Lawrence and Ruby Parks. His Grandma Ruby had a great influence over Jim's deep and lifelong appreciation for his native Yakama and Nisqually heritage which Jim passed on to his children and grandchildren. Jim graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1962 where he was a three-sport varsity athlete in football, basketball, and baseball, and to his surprise, (from behind-the-scenes efforts of his sister Sandi), was crowned Homecoming King his senior year. He turned down an opportunity to play football and baseball at Oregon State University during the Vietnam war to voluntarily enlist in the United States Air Force where he proudly served as a Security Policeman. Prior to enlisting Jim married his first wife, Kay.

Upon his honorable discharge he returned to Yakima to attend Yakima Valley Community College then Columbia Basin College [CBC] where he played football and met his second wife, Bonni (Owens) (Mosteller). They married in Richland in 1973, lived in Moses Lake for two years, then moved to Kennewick where they raised three children together: Travis, Jill, and Jaime. Jim was hired directly from the Agribusiness program at CBC by Wilbur-Ellis with whom he spent 25 years (1972-1997), first as a summer delivery driver, then a full-time sales rep, and eventually, Regional Branch Manager.

Jim had a talent for recognizing potential and helped launch the careers of many individuals with whom he became lifelong friends. Jim was extremely humble, never taking credit for his success or that of others under his leadership. He did, however, always root for the underdog. He saw things in others they couldn't see in themselves. In this way, Jim was a natural coach; coaxing, encouraging, or outright demanding more from people but it was never more than he had done or wouldn't do himself.

After leaving Wilbur-Ellis, Jim spent another 17 years working with Tessenderlo-Kerley [TKI] and his third wife, Karri (Owens) (Vernam). It was also during this period of his life when Jim became stepfather to Dylan Vernam who he helped raise from the age of 3 years old. Dylan is now proudly serving in the United States Air Force, and credits his stepdad, "Jim-bob", with shaping him into the person he is today. Jim spent his entire life in agriculture, worked hard, and took tremendous pride in "leaving it all on the field."

In recent years, Jim settled into retirement, enjoyed being Papao (pa-pow), what his grandchildren called their grandpa, vacationing in Sunriver with his extended family, watching sports, and staying connected with friends and family via text or phone. Recently, Jim lost his best friend, Bam-Bam, a chihuahua with whom he had an unbreakable bond. Jim is survived by his three children and their families: son, Travis and wife Audrey (Audie) Owens, and grandchild "Teaser", daughter Jill (Wyant) (Owens) and husband Don (USAF Veteran), grandchildren Troy and Faith (USAF Veteran), their spouses, and two great-granddaughters, and daughter Jaime (Rice) (Owens) and husband Luke, and granddaughter Crimson, and nephew Rick and wife Karyn Armstrong, their two children, and Rick's sister Shanna and her family, and cousins and relatives near and far. Jim will be missed, remembered, and forever loved by his entire family and the hundreds of dear and loyal friends he made throughout his long, adventurous, and colorful life. In honoring Jim's last wishes, a private memorial service for family to celebrate his life and the spreading of his ashes will be scheduled at a future date. Memorial donations may be made in Jim's memory to either the Yakama Warrior's Association at: http://yakamawarriors.com/ or the Benton Franklin Humane Society at: https://www.bfhs.com/