Ronald Owsley Obituary

Ronald Scott Owsley

8-21-1947 ~ 11-3-2023

On the evening of November 3rd, Ron died from complications of pneumonia at his home with his wife, granddaughters, and other family members by his side. He was 76 and he is now at peace and finally relieved of the physical pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis and its ravages on his body that he had endured since the age of 4. He lived with severe pain most of his life but he hardly ever complained and lived a full and active life until the last 16 years when his health started to decline. His sense of humor (which sometimes had a hint of sarcasm) was a great coping tool for him, and he brought laughter and smiles to many family and social gatherings throughout his life.

Ron was born to Clark and Oleta Owsley on August 21, 1947, in Murray, Utah. His parents and brother called him Ronnie growing up. His family loved camping, fishing, and gardening, and these activities became a lifelong love for him. He lived in the Murray area most of his life. He went to Murray High School, and he met his wife, Connie Eyre, in 1963 after a basketball game. They dated for 5 years and then were married in June of 1968. During this time he attended Westminster College for 3 years and then transferred to U of U School of Pharmacy, where he graduated in 1971 with a Pharmacy Degree. His firstborn son, Ryan, was born later that year, and in the next five years, two other sons, Carey and Tyler, joined their family. He loved spending time with his family, and being a part of their activities was always a priority for him. He was so proud of his sons and their accomplishments.

Despite Ron's health issues, he was always a hard worker, and his main priority was providing a good life for his family. After graduating, he owned two Pharmacies: Desert Pharmacy and Ron's Ethical Pharmacy in Murray. Desert Pharmacy closed when the Doctors moved from the building. He then bought Ethical Pharmacy in Murray, where he was the proprietor for 16 years until he decided to close the Pharmacy because he felt the long hours were keeping him from spending time with his family . After taking some time off, he went to work at St. Mark's Hospital Pharmacy. He worked there until he had to retire early because of his health.

He and his family were active members at Cottonwood Presbyterian Church. He served there as an Elder and was on many different committees over the years. He loved going on Retreats and Mission Trips with the youth. A favorite is a youth mission trip to Mexico with Habitat for Humanity. He participated in many Bible studies and book study groups and loved the discussions about faith. He was very involved in the Scouting Program of Troop 340, and he loved being an adult leader at the weeklong Scout Camps each summer. He loved worshipping at Cottonwood Church and hardly missed a Sunday Service unless he was out of town. He enjoyed the company of many friends he met there over the years.

He loved camping and fishing, and many of his weekends were spent in places all over the beautiful Utah Mountains and Parks. He spent many weekends with his family at Flaming Gorge at Hideout Boat Camp. He could not water ski but loved seeing his sons and their friends ski. He loved building things with wood. He made many beautiful objects, and the most impressive was a grandfather clock. Every summer he looked forward to planting a vegetable garden and reaping the benefits of his hard labor in all the wonderful produce (especially tomatoes and peppers). He would share any extra with neighbors and friends. He made Salsa and Spaghetti Sauce with his wife every fall, and these were a hit with family and friends. It was very hard for him the last few years when he could not take care of his yard and he had to give up gardening, as he loved being outside and seeing things grow. He developed lifelong friendships from his involvement in his Investment Group and a Poker Club. Some of his favorite pastimes were playing cards, dominoes, or board games with family and friends. He was a lifelong Utes Fan, and when he could not attend games in person anymore, he looked forward to watching the Utes games on TV.

His favorite outside companion was the family dog, Ginger, and she followed him everywhere. He loved it when his sons and their families would come home. He said that nothing was better than spending time with them and his grandchildren. Ron traveled extensively across most of the U.S. with his wife on many road trips to see family and friends. He loved going to Hawaii , and he was lucky to have many adventures there on the islands. Some of his other favorite trips were to Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Greece, and a sailing trip in the Caribbean. He loved it when his granddaughters came to University of Utah to go to school because he got to spend more time with them. He also loved whenever he got to see his grandson. In the last few years, he always looked forward to his son Ryan's visits and phone calls. He also appreciated all the tender loving care and companionship that his loving wife Connie provided during their 55 years together.

He was always worried about the homeless and less fortunate and made monthly contributions to numerous charities. If you want to give something in his memory, some suggestions would be donating to The Rescue Mission, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, or Arthritis Foundation.

Ron was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather, and he was always ready to listen and lend a helping hand to family and friends. He lived his life in service to others, and at the end of his life, he chose to donate his body to the U of U Medical School for research. He was preceded in death by his parents Scott and Lee, brother Vaughn, and his beloved sons Carey and Tyler. His loving family survives him: wife Connie, son Ryan (Heather), grandchildren Abby, Jessie, Elliott, and daughter-in-law Lisa (Carey).

A Memorial Service will be held in his honor on January 13, 2024, at noon at Cottonwood Presbyterian Church, 1580 East Vine Street, Murray, UT. There will be time to socialize at a reception right after the service.