Lillian E. Owen, age 90, of Forest City, Iowa, formerly of Lytton, Iowa, passed away on Friday, February 1, 2008, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Forest City.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 7th, at Emanuel-St. John Lutheran Church in Lytton with Pastor Wayne Pfannkuch officiating. Burial will be at Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Wednesday, at the funeral home in Sac City.

Lillian Emma Leege was born in Lytton, Iowa on May 15, 1917, the daughter of John and Emma (Glassnapp) Leege. She was baptized at Emanuel Lutheran Church on June 10, 1917, and confirmed at Emanuel-St. John Lutheran Church in Lytton on March 29, 1931, where she remained a member. Lillian attended Coon Valley #1 Country School and graduated from Lytton High School in 1934. Following graduation she attended nurses school in Sioux City.

On April 9, 1939, (Easter Sunday) Lillian was united in marriage to Orville Arthur Owen. Orville and Lillian purchased the John Leege farm south of Lytton where they lived and continued farming until 1989 when they retired and moved to an acreage near Fertile, Iowa, to be closer to their family. Lillian enjoyed the farm life; working in her large garden and sharing the abundance with family and friends. She also loved to cook and bake and entertain family at the farm. She won a prize for her recipe in the Pillsbury Bake Off. Using her cooking talents, Lillian owned the Coffee Stop Café in Rockwell City from 1955-1965. Prior to that, she had worked at the Lytton Hatchery.

Lillian was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend who loved and cherished her family. She enjoyed singing in the church choir and was a circle member.

Survivors include her children: Michael (Ramona) Owen of Everly, IA; Anieta Oltmann of Plano, TX; and Ronald (Linda) Owen of Forest City, IA; eight grandchildren: Calvin Owen, Michael T. Owen, Kimberly (Dwain) Huckabee, Anne (Mark) Rockwell, Janelle (Jason) Wagner, Brandon Oltmann, Gregory Owen, and Shannon Owen; 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law: Carrie Owen of Rockwell City, IA and Olive Clouss of Meridian, ID; many nieces and nephews; and extended family members.

Lillian was preceded in death by her parents; husband Orville on March 19, 2001; brothers: Walter, Arthur, and Herman Leege; and sister Elnora Nehman.