Thomas Needham Owen, Jr.

CARY – Thomas Needham Owen, Jr., 87, passed away Saturday, July 11, 2020. Thomas was born in Asheville, NC on June 25, 1933, the son of the late Thomas and Rebecca Banks Owen. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Elizabeth “Betty” Owen. He is survived by his daughter, Catherine Owen McCullen and husband, David of Apex; son, Thomas Graham Owen and partner, Ben Wilson of Atlanta, GA; granddaughter, Gracyn McCullen; grandsons, Alex McCullen and Jake McCullen; and his nieces, Christy Goforth and Cathi Arney. Tom, as he was known by, was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. His passions in life were his family and friends. He was a professional photographer and videographer and loved technology. He also loved theatre and classical music. Tom was a wonderful story-teller and exceptional published writer. He loved to travel and meet new people, often taking trips to the mountains on a whim just to take pictures of the sunsets and sunrises. It was his favorite time of day. Tom was much loved and blessed with a beautiful wife and family. He had devoted friends he cherished and was a very proud grandfather of triplets. Tom was born in Asheville, but grew up in Charlotte, NC. A UNC-Chapel Hill graduate in Communications led him to a long career with CPL in Corporate Communications. After marrying, he resided in Raleigh, NC. He was a lifelong member of Rotary and worked passionately on issues that affected his community throughout his life. He was a member of White Plains United Methodist Church in Cary, where he taught Sunday School. Tom will lie in state from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, located at 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, for those who wish to pay their respects and sign the register. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, July 16, 2020 in Raleigh Memorial Park with Military Honors. Social Distancing procedures will be observed at both gatherings and face masks are highly encouraged. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to White Plains United Methodist Church: 313 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511; or to Transitions LifeCare Hospice: 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607. Arrangements by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Raleigh.