‘Enormous contributions’
Highly praised ex-Museum head Doris Woods Owens remembered at 97
Director of what was formerly known as Farragut Folklife Museum and a lifelong Concord/Farragut resident, “I can’t say enough in deep appreciation of Doris Woods (Owens) and her life,” said former Farragut Mayor Eddie Ford, whose roughly 25 years of service to the Town as mayor and as an alderman gave him a close view of Doris’ work.
Also author of the book “Concord-Farragut,” which was published in 2009 (see related photo and further information), “Her contributions to the Town of Farragut are enormous, and I only hope that the citizens in the Town continue to appreciate what she has laid as their foundation,” Ford added about Ms. Owens. “All those committee meetings and planning and presentations and involvement whenever the doors open, anything dealing with the Farragut Folklife Museum, Doris and Charlie (Owens, her late husband) were there, and really no one, perhaps, has worked harder for this Town.
“She had a natural knack for bringing together people who cared about this community, and in turn, using their talents to present something for the people in the Town of Farragut through the Farragut Folklife Museum.”
Overall, “There’s no way to describe how dedicated she was,” Ford said. “And so many people that she had on her committees over the years really followed her. … They were a team together in what they proceeded to do.”
Going back even further, “I knew Doris many years ago, before she became associated with the Town,” Ford said.
“In fact, she accused me of going to her wedding and throwing rice at she and Charlie when I was a young kid and they got married,” the former mayor added.
“They were very close to my parents during the early years of their marriage. And her father was a postman, and he was a fantastic gentleman. And so was her mother — they were just an integral part of that era of the community years and years ago.”
According to Higgins Funeral Home of Benton, which is serving the family by handling arrangements, “A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date. A full obituary will be published as soon as possible.”
(We at farragutpress welcome other words of praise for those familiar with the life of Doris Woods Owens, which would be published in next week’s issue: e-mail editor@farragutpress.com)
