Marvin Bruce Owen, Sr, passed away on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Pruitt Health Center in Beaufort, NC.

A Private memorial service will be held on Friday at 11:00am at Week’s Farm Carteret County receiving only the immediate family.

He was born in Tarboro, Edgecombe County on April 17, 1942, to the late John Waverly Owen and Lillie Maude Owen. He received a high school degree from Tarboro High School in 1960. Bruce lettered in Basketball, Baseball, and Football. “At 195 lbs., as a fullback was rated as being one of the top ground gainers on the squad and make line bucking a specialty”, as quoted from a Tarboro newspaper clipping. He was a member of the All-Conference Eastern 3-A stars.

He worked for Carolina Tel and Tel, later to become Sprint until 1997 when he retired. Most of his career was spent in the La Grange area located in Lenoir County as a service/repairman but was fondly known as the “The Telephone man”.

Bruce was very witty and charming and will be remembered for his athleticism, competitiveness, tenaciousness, kind heartiness, and a loyalty to friends and family. He was always helpful and welcoming with a friendly smile and a willingness to lend a hand when needed. Bruce loved nature, being outdoors, and was a collector of ball caps.

His life was blessed with multiple families and grandchildren. With his first wife, Carol West, they had two sons, Bruce and Dean (wife Katherine and son, Blake). His family expanded with his second wife Linda Owen (son Jay married to Diane, her daughter Maura Jo and son James). With his 3rd wife, (wife Nancy Denton, her daughter Amanda married to Ward, their children Lilly and Lula, her daughter Summer married to Josh, their children Coleman and Foster, and her son Benjamin married to Allison. All of his grandchildren proudly called him Papa. He had a great love for travel and ventured to Panama, Machu Picchu, and most of western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Just a few months before his death he took a Caribbean cruise with his sons, their spouses, and his wife Nancy.

In addition to travel, he enjoyed hiking, running, fishing, playing tennis and golf, doing crossword puzzles in the morning, and enjoying his toddy in his special Gamecocks cup. He walked “a many a mile” in the Croatan Forest, the Rotary Park, the paths of Emerald Isle Woods or Cedar Point Park. He especially loved the outdoors and all its wonders. It didn’t matter where he was there was always a greeting waiting for someone whether he was on the beach, the Bogue Inlet Pier, walking along trails, town sidewalks, driving down the road throwing up a quick wave from the steering wheel, or his neighborhood streets.

A loving son, father, grandfather and friend to many, he will be greatly missed by the many who knew and loved him.

In addition to his parents John W. Owen and Lily Maude Owen are preceded in death by his first wife, Carol West and 2nd wife, Linda Owen.

He is survived by his wife Nancy Denton, Sons, Dean Owen and wife, Katherine Mills Owen, of Greenville and Bruce Owen, Jr. and husband, Jeff Lepis, of Seattle, WA; Grandson, Blake Owen of Greenville; Brother, John Owen II and wife, Mary Etta Owen of Baltimore.

Memorial donations may be made in Bruce’s memory to the Parkinson Foundation The Parkinson's Foundation

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory, Morehead City, N.C.