Joan Baxter Owens

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina - Mrs. Mary Joan Baxter Owens, widow of Kenneth Norwood Owens, M.D., passed away Sunday, February 24, 2019. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 PM Saturday, March 2, 2019 at St. John's United Methodist Church.  A reception will follow at Ward Hall. Mrs. Owens was born in Charleston, West Virginia, the daughter of the late Harry Cameron Baxter and Hallie Genevieve Herndon. She was raised in Fairmont, West Virginia and received her RN degree from Fairmont State College. She joined the Army in 1949, and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas at Brook Army Hospital. She joined the Army Air Corps, which later became the Air Force in late 1949 attending Flight School in Montgomery, Alabama. While in flight school, she received orders to Hawaii and then was sent to Japan to serve in the Korean War. During the war as a flight nurse, she transported wounded soldiers from holding areas in Korea to Japan for further medical treatment.  In 1952, she married Kenneth Owens and they were stationed in Tacoma, Washington.  Ken was a second year Obstetrics resident and after his third year they were sent to Japan together. They spent three years in Japan and in 1955 they returned on a hospital ship to Washington, DC and were stationed at Walter Reed Medical Center.  They decided to leave the to military and moved to Aiken in 1959.  Joan and Ken lived 60 wonderful years in Aiken, where lifelong friendships were made.   Joan was presented the 50 year Medal by the Military for having survived during the Korean conflict.  She started the Aiken County Republican Women's Club and served as President for many years.  She was a member of the Pine Needle Garden Club.  She was a member of the Scottish Society of Aiken, the St. Andrews Society, Clan McMillan North America and Clan McMillan, CTS. After Ken retired from private practice, Joan and Ken spent 13 years traveling the world but their favorite destination was Scotland. They attended the Grandfather Mountain Scottish Games and the Charleston Scottish Games representing Clan McMillan. She is survived by her two sons, Stuart Cameron Owens, M.D. (Louise Liebenrood) of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and Bruce Baxter Owens (Cindy Rader) of Anchorage Alaska; grandchildren Kenneth Baxter Owens, Cameron Alston Owens (Taylor Boyd), James Baxter Owens, Joel Douglas Rader (Cindy Rader), Terry Cameron Owens, Samantha Margaret Owens; and a great grandchild Maya, daughter of Joel and Cindy, and her brother John Thomas Baxter, Richmond, Virginia. In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Norwood Owens, M.D., her son Brian Tompkins Owens, her brother James Harry Baxter and her four beloved sisters; Betty Vinick; Barbara Berlack; Margaret Norris; and Nell Baker. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. John's United Methodist Church, Aiken, South Carolina; St. Andrew Society of Aiken, PO Box 3475, Aiken, South Carolina; or Transitions Hospice, 405 North Magnolia St., Summerville, South Carolina, 29483. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC.  924 HAYNE AVENUE, AIKEN, SC Mrs. Owens' online guestbook may be signed by visiting www.shellhousefuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joan Baxter Owens, please visit our flower store.