Owen E Litz

Owen Elijah Litz died peacefully at home on March 26, 2015 after a prolonged battle with heart disease.   Born on January 4, 1924 in Trenton, Utah to Grover Floyd and Martha Spackman Litz, Owen was the fourth of seven siblings.  He graduated from North Cache High School where he lettered in both basketball and football.  At the age of 19 he enlisted in the Army and served in the Philippines during World War II.  Upon his return to Cache Valley Owen met the love of his life, Lenore Campbell, on a New Year’s Eve blind date.  They were married on August, 26, 1948 and have three children:  David G. Litz, Owen C. (Kathy) Litz, and Cathrine (Dave) Kirby; three grandchildren:  Jade (Frank) Mendoza, David M. (Sara) Litz, and Xia (Todd) Erickson; and five great grandchildren:  India Mendoza, Saxon Mendoza, Ronan Mendoza, Evelyn Lenore Erickson, and Owen Litz—Little O.
Owen received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from USU in 1951.  While working on his degree, he served as a Cache County Deputy Sherriff for two years.  At the start of the Korean War, Owen returned to active duty and made the Army his career.  He taught ROTC at USU for three years and then served tours of duty in a variety of locations throughout the world including: Germany; the Babson College in Boston, Massachusetts where he earned an MBA; Korea; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; the U.S Southern Command in the Panama Canal Zone—an assignment that took him throughout Central and South America; the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Long Bin, Viet Nam; and Saint Louis, Missouri.   Over the course of his career he earned several decorations and awards including two Legion of Merit awards, one U.S Army Commendation medal, and one Joint Service Commendation medal.  In 1974 after serving his country honorably and courageously for thirty years, Owen retired from the Army as a full Colonel.
Owen and Lenore then embarked upon the next chapter of their lives: a forty year career in the antique business.  They opened an antique store, Antique Harbour in Saint Louis, Missouri that featured fine Victorian furniture restored, refinished, and reupholstered by Owen.  In 1977 they moved their store from Saint Louis, Missouri to Logan, Utah where “the Durable Duo” also enjoyed gardening and playing golf.  Throughout his life the thing that Owen treasured most was the time spent with his wife and family.  Owen’s zest for life, seemingly inexhaustible energy, and remarkable sense of humor will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday April 1, 2015 at 12:00 Noon in the Allen-Hall Mortuary Chapel, 34 East Center,Logan. Friends and family may call at the mortuary on Wednesday morning from 10:00am till 11:30am. Interment will be in the Providence City Cemetery.
The family expresses their appreciation to ACCESS Hospice for the compassionate care Owen received in the weeks preceding his death and asks that those who wish to honor Owen’s memory make donations to either the American Heart Foundation or the American Lung Cancer Association.
Condolences and expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family online by visiting www.allenmortuaries.net