Elizabeth Evelyn Owsley

Elizabeth Evelyn Owsley, 102, went home to heaven on February 10, 2022, at Heritage Health in Carlinville, Illinois.

She was born on May 15, 1919, on the family farm in York Township, Van Wert County. She was a breech baby delivered by her father before the doctor arrived.

Her early education was at York School in Jonestown, where she graduated from high school. She attended the former Karr Business College in Van Wert. While in Van Wert she worked several retail jobs as well as at the former Borden Cheese Factory and did secretarial work at the Van Wert County Extension office. Her secretarial skills helped her work her way through college. She received her undergraduate degree from Taylor University. She attended New York Biblical for one year. In 1946, she transferred to Asbury Theological Seminary where she completed her masters degree in religious education. While at Asbury she met a fellow student, Clarence Torrie Owsley, Jr. from Alamosa, Colorado. They united in marriage on June 28, 1947. After their marriage they pastored four churches in Mercer County.

Their first posting as missionaries was to Port au Prince, Haiti , from 1950-51. Their first son Philip was born in Haiti. While she was in the hospital giving birth, Clarence had his Jeep stolen out from under him and made his way back to the city where his wife and baby were in the hospital.

In 1952 they began their work in Brazil under the Oriental Missionary Society (now renamed One Mission Society), where they were pioneer missionaries. While serving under OMS they lived in Maringa, Campinas, Londrina, and Sao Paulo, Brazil where their second son Paul was born They also lived in Van Wert, Wichita, Kansas, and Wilmore, Kentucky.

Under the Free Methodist Mission they lived in Winona Lake, where the their third son Lewis Daniel was born.They served in Sao Paulo, Brazil at the Mirandopolis, Vila Morais, and Vila Galvao Churches, as well as the cities of Neves Paulista and Mairipora. In the States they served a Free Methodist pastorate in Arcola, Illinois (1980-83).

After retirement in 1986 they served the Hillsdale Free Methodist Church in Hillsdale, Michigan as ministers of visitation. They also served in Brazil as short term missionaries.

After their re-retirement they volunteered at the Van Wert County Pregnancy Life Center and hosted a weekly prayer and Bible study. They also translated letters for a Brazilian Children’s home.

Clarence entered heaven in Dec. of 2011. Elizabeth carried on alone and even into her 90s gave morning devotionals to nursing home patients and occasionally sitting with the dying. She filled in for the chaplain when needed. Elizabeth was an expert cook and hosted many guests for meals or overnight in Brazil and the States.

Elizabeth is survived by her sons, Philip (Chris) Owsley of New Berlin, Wisconsin, Paul (Marsha) Owsley of Chesterfield, Illinois, and Dan (Hope) Owsley, of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, South America; her remaining brother Fred (Judy) Good of Charlotte, Michigan, and a sister-in-law Marilyn Owsley of Alamosa, Colorado.

She also leaves behind 10 grandchildren, Mary Beth (Ben) Kessler, Laura (Joe) Tregellas, Polly (Mike) Wallis, Peter (Becky) Owsley, Jessamy (Dominic) Matarelli, Clark Owsley, Steven Owsley, David Owsley, Nathan (Megan) Owsley, and Andrew Owsley; 15 great-grandchildren, Delphina and Paxton Kessler, Tye and Eliza Tregellas, Brendon and Kyle Wallis, Haley, Andy, and Owen Owsley, Samuel, Benjamin, Georgia, Vanessa, Teddy, and Leo Matarelli. She was also loved by numerous nieces and nephews.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Dora Good; her brothers, Byron H. Good (Helen), Paul L. Good (Alice), Don Good (Jane), and her husband Clarence T. Owsley, Jr.

Services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, February 19, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home, Van Wert, with Pastor Ward Sussenbach officiating. Interment will be in Van Wert Woodland Cemetery. Calling hours are 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials: One Mission Society, Van Wert Pregnancy Life Center, Kingsley United Methodist Church, or donor’s choice.

Online expressions may be expressed on the Tribute Wall at cowanfuneralhome.com.