Lillie L. ‘Gene’ Paulk Owens

Published 9:52 pm Monday, September 10, 2012

Lillie L. “Gene” Paulk Owens, 94, of Irwin County died Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, at Palemon Gaskins Nursing Home in Ocilla. Funeral services will be held 3 p.m. today at Big Creek Baptist Church, Irwin County, with the Rev. Wayne McCrimmon and the Rev. Billy Sumner officiating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.

Mrs. Owens was born March 23, 1918 in Irwin County, to the late Elbert Paulk and Dora Turner Player. She lived in the community all of her life. She was a homemaker and a member of Big Creek Baptist Church. Mrs. Owens loved to crochet and enjoyed word search puzzles. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, W.A. “Bill” Owens; a son, Morris Owens; two daughters, Mary Owens and Betty O’Kelly; a grandchild, Timothy Goodman; a great-grandchild, Benjamin Weaver; and a brother, Sam Player.

She is survived by her children and their spouses, Mildred and J.L. Goodman of Ocilla, Herman and Patricia Owens of Irwinville, Faye and Bill Busbin and Troy and Bernadette Owens, all of Ocilla, Nina & Carroll Whitley of Fitzgerald, Camilla Mancil of Mystic, Debbie and Larry Gurr of Douglas, and Albert Owens of Ocilla; 32 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchildren; numerous great-great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews. Paulk Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.