Obituary of Joseph-Thomas Owens

?Funeral will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Rainbow City Church of God for the Rev. Joseph Thomas "J.T." Owens, 84, Rainbow City, who went home on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. The Revs. Oneal Franks and J.L. Knight will officiate. Burial will be at Rainbow Memorial Gardens. Village Chapel Funeral Home and Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements. The Rev. Owens was a retired Church of God minister. He worked as a pipe fitter for Republic Steel for 27 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Bertha Owens; brothers, Chester, Floyd and Sidney Owens; and sisters, Mary Hanson and Edna Campbell. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Audrey Owens; daughter, Amy (Paul) Blake; granddaughter, Vicki Blake; two great-grandchildren, Cassie (Lee) Leatherwood and his special little buddy, Joseph Smith; special granddaughter, Nadine Dodgen; brother, Arnold Owens; sisters, Gladys (R.J.) Smith, Sula (Buddy) Campbell and Minnie Echols; a host of nieces and nephews; special adopted family, Terry, Kristy, Dalton, Daniel and Anna Thacker; and special friends, Johnny Smith and the Rev. Belton Robinson. Pallbearers will be Paul Blake, Bobby Blake, Lee Leatherwood and Terry Thacker. Honorary pallbearers will be Lawley Hospice, third- hall staff at McGuffey Health Care and Dr. Kenny Smith. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 this evening at the funeral home. The Rev. Owens will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the service.