[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19198-19199]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF L. D. ``DICK'' OWEN, JR.

 Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
long time friend and lifelong Alabamian who recently passed away. Mr. 
L. D. ``Dick'' Owen, Jr. died at the age of 86 following a life 
dedicated to service, family, his community and his State.

[[Page 19199]]

  Dick has led a remarkable life. As a war hero, he received six Bronze 
Stars and an Arrowhead. He served as a U.S. Paratrooper during World 
War II in North Africa and Europe, and in the Far East during the 
Korean Conflict. As a public official, he was devoted to the 
environment, agriculture and education. And as a member of the Bay 
Minette community, Dick was a dedicated public servant to his hometown 
and served in numerous volunteer positions throughout his life.
  Born in Baldwin County on April 10, 1919, he attended Baldwin County 
Schools and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1941. Upon 
college graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. 
Army Reserve and entered Active Duty on June 27, 1941.
  In August 1942, Dick attended Airborne School, and after completion 
of training at Fort Benning, GA, he was assigned to the 504th Paratroop 
Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC.
  He served overseas from May, 1943, until November, 1945, and it was 
during his service in Europe that he received six Bronze Stars and an 
Arrowhead for his participation in the invasions into Sicily, Naples, 
Rome (Anzio), Rhineland, the Aredenes (Battle of the Bulge) and Central 
Europe. He was awarded the highest Dutch military decoration, the 
Militaire Willems Order, and also the Belgium Citation Fourogere, while 
his unit, the 504th, received the Distinguished Unit Citation.
  Upon his separation from Active Duty, Dick served in the Army 
Reserves and was recalled to Active Duty in November, 1950, serving at 
Ft. Jackson, SC, and deploying to Japan and Korea with the 187th 
Airborne Regimental Combat Team. He retired as a Lt. Colonel from the 
U.S. Army Reserve in 1963.
  Upon retirement from the Army, he settled back in Bay Minette serving 
on the School Board, as President of the Bay Minette Chamber of 
Commerce, and as an active participant in the United Fund, the American 
Red Cross and the American Cancer Society. In 1950, he was elected 
State Commander of the V.F.W.
  He was appointed to the Alabama Battleship Commission in 1963, a 
position he held for the remainder of his life. He was also a member of 
the Bay Minette City Council, was Probate Judge in Baldwin County, and 
was one of two Alabama members on the Gulf Marine Fisheries Commission.
  It was not until my time in the Alabama Legislature that I was really 
able to get to know Dick Owen. He was extremely committed to his 
positions in both the State House and State Senate, and his 
constituents were well served by his dedication to them and his 
devotion to the issues. He was elected to the House in 1965 and served 
two terms before being elected to the Senate in 1970 where he also 
served two terms.
  In the Senate, he was Chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee 
and Chairman of the Conservation Committee. He also served as a member 
of the Commerce, Transportation and Common Carriers Committee; the 
Insurance Committee; the Constitution and Elections Committee; the 
Agriculture Committee; and the Local Legislation No. 1 Committee. He 
also held positions on the Interim Insurance Study Committee and was 
Chairman of the Fishing Reef Committee.
  During his career, Dick focused his energy on a number of issues. 
Whether it was agriculture, education, conservation or prison reform, 
he recognized the importance of these issues to his constituency and 
the entire State of Alabama.
  As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, he supported 
development, growth and protection of Alabama's agriculture and 
forestry industry. He led the fight to keep farm truck prices low, and 
he favored expansion of the Farmer's Market Authority. In addition, he 
sponsored a number of bills relating to conservation, forestry, 
agriculture and law enforcement. Among these were the $43 million State 
Parks Program and the Anti-water Pollution Act.
  As a Representative and Senator, Dick Owen was a strong advocate for 
educational opportunities for all people, and he recognized the need to 
make improvements to the education system in Alabama. Before his 
election to the Alabama legislature, he was proud to help bring 
Faulkner State Community College to Bay Minette.
  He sponsored many bills in both houses to conserve our natural 
resources and ensure continued growth of renewable resources. He 
received the ``Governor's Conservation Legislator off the Year'' award 
in 1971 from the Alabama Wildlife Federation.
  Dick was also active in prison reform work and was recognized by law 
enforcement and prison officials for legislation he authored regarding 
this issue.
  Year after year, he was a champion for his constituents.
  Well after Dick left politics and public life, he continued to serve 
his community and State well. He owned Builders Hardware and Supply and 
was active in the Bay Minette Rotary Club. He was a devoted alumnus of 
the University of Alabama, contributing his time and energy to the 
growth of the Alumni Association. He was also a Mason, Shriner and 
active in the Baptist Church.
  A devoted family man, he is survived by his beloved wife, the former 
Annie Ruth Heidelberg of Mobile; his son L.D. Owen III of Bay Minette; 
his brother James R. Owen of Bay Minette; and his sister, Nell Owen 
Davis of Gulf Breeze, Florida. He also has three grandchildren and two 
great-grandchildren.
  I cannot say enough about the impact this man had on so many lives. 
As a war hero, a legislator, a community advocate, a husband and a 
father, Dick Owen spent his life making Alabama and this country a 
better place. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

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