Douglas Owens, a longtime winter resident of Ajijic, died October 13 in Bellingham, Washington at the age of 68.
Born January 12, 1944 in Seattle, Washington, Owens served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict, in which he was wounded and the recipient of the Purple Heart. He graduated from the University of Idaho and practiced law in Anacortes, Washington for more than 30 years, retiring in 2006.
Owens was a collector of rare books and an avid fly fisherman. He had hunted on safari in Africa several times and studied accounts of 19th century explorations.
He began visiting the Lake Chapala area in 1980 and built a house in Ajijic in the mid-1980s. He and his wife, Miriam, spent four months each year at their Ajijic home and his two sons were married there. He was a regular participant in the “Donas Donuts” conversation group.
Owens is survived by his wife of 44 years, Miriam, of Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, and sons Benedict Owens (wife Kristin) of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Blake Owens (Jessica) of Bellingham, Washington. He had three grandchildren: Ashton, Greyson and Strummer Owens.
He was buried with full military honors at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington on November 9.