Ethel Goates Owen, at the golden age of 89, passed peacefully from this life into the loving arms of her Savior in the early morning hours of Friday, January 26, 2024, at De Leon Nursing and Rehab. Ethel was born February 24, 1934, in De Leon, to Andrew Alexander Goates and Mary Verene Palmour Goates. She married Charles Albert Owen November 2, 1955.

Ethel was a lifelong resident of De Leon. She dearly loved this community and her many friends here. She was a longtime member of De Leon First Baptist Church and in her recent years enjoyed attending St. Joe Baptist Church. She loved the Lord and was faithful to serve as His hands and feet any time she could. Ethel was a LVN and taught nursing school at Cisco Junior College. She was the nurse who admitted the very first patient into the new wing of the De Leon Hospital and, many years later, discharged the last patient from that same hospital when it closed its doors and moved it's patients to Comanche County Medical Center. God blessed Ethel with the heart and skills for her nursing career. She was kind, patient, attentive, genuinely concerned for her patients, and a ray of sunshine for many during their ailments. Ethel possessed a great sense of humor and would share laughter everywhere she went. She was also a woman of many talents. Ethel enjoyed needle crafting, embroidery, sewing, crafting, canning, baking, and cooking. She was truly the matriarch of her family and her greatest joy in life was to have all her family together enjoying a wonderful homecooked meal she had poured all her love into. She was a loving wife, selfless mother, special grandmother and great-grandmother (with the unique ability to make each grandchild feel like the most important), and a loyal friend to so many. She will be missed beyond measure by all who knew and loved her.

She has been reunited with her husband, Charles Owen; son, Scott Owen; parents, Andrew and Mary Goates; sisters, Ruth Anderson and Beaulamae Goates. Ethel leaves behind a loving legacy with her family. She is survived y her son, Charles (Chuck) Owen and wife, Cindy; daughter, Tjwanah (Missy) Schwartz and husband, Donald; grandchildren, Stephanie (Michael) Mitchell, Andrea (Hank) Wiggins, Erin (Ben) Landrum, Audra (Steve) Kocian, Jennifer (Patrick) Leydon, Callie (Cory) Alexander, and Heather (Josiah) Armstrong; great-grandchildren, Zachary and Hayden Mitchell, Hannah, Olivia Belle, Cora, and Lyla Armstrong, Savanna Wiggins, Bree and Tyler Moland, and Abigail Kocian; great-grandchildren, Callon and Carter Alexander, Sophia Leydon, and Caleb Feldman; numerous nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.

Funeral services celebrating Ethel's life were held Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joe Baptist Church with Brother Matt Morton officiating. Interment followed in De Leon Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be directed to the Legacy Estates Nursing Home (library fund), in memory of Ethel.