The Passing of a Good Neighbor

Josie Mae Ownbey (Huffman)

NORWICH - Ownbey, Josie Mae (Huffman) passed away Friday, January 15, 2010 after a brave fight against pancreatic cancer with her children by her side. Josie Mae was born on December 11, 1928 in Selman, OK, to Jesse William and Ollie Mae (Weese) Huffman. She attended grade schools in Waynoka and May, graduating in 1946 in Selman, OK. After graduation she worked at McIntyre Drug in Buffalo, OK. On February 7, 1952 she married Thomas Wayne (Bud) Ownbey in Wichita, KS, where they started their own family. In Wichita she had worked at Dockom Drug Store and the Wichita State Bank. In 1967 the family moved to Spivey, KS, where she worked at the Kingman County extension office and later retired from Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, after moving to Norwich, KS, in 1976. She was a member of the Bethel Baptist Church of Wichita, but after moving to Norwich she was active in the Norwich Baptist Church. After from Cessna she always kept busy. She enjoyed working with the Election Board of Kingman County, Norwich Township. She worked several years at Farrar Corporation in Norwich and she was a Companion/Aide thru the State of Kansas for many citizens of the Norwich area. She enjoyed her time as a Hat Lady taking their small adventures. She was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who asked, whether it was baking for a social function, driving a friend to the doctor, or watching a loved one for others in the community. She is preceded in death by her husband, Wayne; her brother, William (Bill); and her youngest son, Dennis Ray. She is survived by her brother, Walter (Dorothy) of Enid, OK; Wanda Wyscaver of Buffalo, OK, and Velma (Gene) Jones of Oklahoma City, OK; sons, Thomas Patrick, Jerry Wayne (Donna); and daughter, Marcie Mae (Brian Coppage), all of Wichita; grandchildren, Nancy (Mike) Marshall of Hazleton, KS, Michael (Ashley) Boyle of Irving, TX, Jennifer (Brady) Burtchett of Eureka, CA, Jared (Cyndi) Ownbey of Potwin, Kevin Ownbey of Wichita, Kayla (Bobby) Whiteside of Potwin, KS, Devin (Christine) Smallwood of Udall, KS, Joseph and Sara Waddell of Wichita; and 12 great-grandchildren. She is loved and will be missed many friends and relatives. There will be a viewing Monday, January 18, 2010 at the Norwich Baptist Church from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the Norwich Baptist church on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 10 a.m. She will be laid to rest in the Ownbey (Golden Rod) Cemetery NE of Buffalo, OK on highway 64 at 3 p.m. Wilkinson Funeral Service of Buffalo, OK is in charge of the service.

Josie lived across the street from us from the time we moved in here. A person couldn't ask for better neighbors than what we've had. Josie, you will be missed. Our condolences to her family.