Martin Murray Owens

Martin Murray Owens, known to family and friends as “MO”, passed away on February 12, 2020 in Tualatin, Oregon. He was 61.
Marty was born on October 23, 1958 in Redmond, Oregon. He attended school in Culver, Bend, Lake Oswego and Sherwood, Oregon. During his time at Sherwood High School, he was a dedicated athlete and teammate playing on numerous football, basketball and baseball playoff teams, earning league and state honors. He developed many lifelong friendships with his classmates at SHS.
In the fall of 1977, he enrolled at University of Oregon to play baseball and pledged PI Kappa Alpha. By the fall of 1979, he landed at Eastern Oregon State College in La Grande, Oregon. That is where he found his place playing baseball for the Mounties at Snowflake field. He was well known for his creative and unique pitching motion antics. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from Eastern in the spring of 1982.
Soon after graduation, Marty started coaching youth baseball, playing on numerous slowpitch softball teams and began his career working in business. Marty’s outgoing personality flourished when he started work with Precision Interconnect in 1988. In 1998 he accepted a position as buyer with the same company in Empalme, Mexico. This is where he developed a true love and passion for photography. Sharing many of his photos with family and friends. He was honored that one of his photos was chosen to be placed on the cover of the Oregon Cattleman’s Magazine. He also had pictures proudly displayed in the Skinner Family book, “High Desert Promise”. His last place of work was his most cherished. He enjoyed every minute working alongside his extended family of Samtec coworkers in Wilsonville and for the best boss in the world, Cindy Diegel.
Marty took extreme pride in his family (parents, siblings, nieces, nephews), friends, relatives, former teammates and players. He loved visiting the Skinner Family Ranch in Jordan Valley, Oregon, hunting in Maupin and Heppner, fishing in the Sea of Cortez, painting, swing dancing, gardening, tying flies, and creating flashy fishing lures. To all of those who knew “MO”, he always had a clever one-liner followed by his unforgettable soft laugh. His huge heart alongside his kind soul for his family and friends will never be forgotten.
Marty is survived by his mother Johanna Skinner Owens, father Duane Owens, sisters Andrea Waldrop (Doug), Billie Jo Burns (Paul), Alison Bertalotto (Jeff), brother Wes Owens, 3 nieces, 4 nephews, 2 great nieces, and a great nephew. He was preceded in death by his biological father William Burr in 1963.
A graveside service will be held on February 29, at 10:00 a.m. in Caldwell, Idaho, at Canyon Hill Cemetery. A luncheon will follow after the service. A Celebration of Life, which will include Marty’s favorite meal, will be held on March 14, at 2:00 p.m. at the Al Kader Shrine Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, 25100 SW Parkway Ave.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Marty Owens may be made to, “America’s Game” c/o Howard Fetz, PO Box 282 Maupin, OR 97037, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that is supporting the return of baseball to Eastern Oregon University.
Arrangements by Attrell’s Funeral Chapel, Sherwood, Oregon, and Daken Funeral Chapel, Caldwell, Idaho.

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