Norval 'Pod' Floyd Owens

Norval Flloyd “Pod” Owens, son of the late Alfred and Diannie Melvina (Allen) Owens, was born on February 3, 1915, in Owensville, Missouri, and began eternity with his Lord and Savior on January 15, 2013 in the Ozarks Community Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, at 97 years of age. He was a resident of the Hartville Care Center at the time of his death.

As a child, Floyd was small in stature, and his mother began fondly referring to him as her “little pea pod.” That nickname grew with him, and most only knew Floyd as “Pod” for the rest of his life.

Pod and Ruth Smith were united in marriage on December 25, 1940, by the late Reverend Homer Smith. They spent 69 years together on a farm in Owensville (now named Owens) in Wright County, Missouri, north of Norwood. Except for a brief period of time when they were migrant workers in California, Pod spent his entire life growing up, attending school, working, marrying, worshipping, and living within two miles of his birthplace.

Pod was the last living Charter Member of the Rock Chapel Free Will Baptist Church. He and Ruth were devoted to that church and served as church janitors for twenty years. Although, a feeble body prevented him from attending full time during the last few years, his eyes would light up like diamonds at the mention of Rock Chapel.

Through the years Pod worked at the Owensville Store, farmed, drove a milk route, and did carpentry and construction work. He took great pride in his lawn and garden. Pod loved to hunt quail and rabbits, and for many years he loved raising and training beagles. Folks came from many miles away just to purchase one of Pod’s beagles. He also enjoyed horses and spent many special times fishing and four-wheeling with dear friends and family.

Pod loved his country and respected the flag. He spent many hours seeing that a flag was raised properly, lighted properly, and taken down properly at the Rock Chapel Cemetery. Pod was fortunate to live through a time when doors were always open to neighbors and friends. Those doors never needed to be locked because there was little fear from a stranger, a time, when enough was plenty, a time, that many have forgotten and too many will never have the pleasure to experience.

Although Pod suffered most of his life with a severe, increasingly debilitating, deformity to both his feet, he fought to be independent, seldom complained, worked hard and always had a smile. Through his life he traveled by foot, mule, horse, and buggy, bus boat, tractor, automobile, and ATV. But it wasn’t until shortly before his 95th birthday, that Pod took his first airplane ride to California to visit his only surviving sister.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Owens; eight sisters: Lizzie Sparks, Fannie Saladin, Josie Maxville, Leveda Piland, Bertha Gregory, Aurora Schreiver, Lilly Long, and Pansy Davis; and by eight brothers: John, Jack, Van, Rueben, Willie, Ottie, Edward, and Everett Owens.

He is survived by one sister: Cora Dixon of California and her daughter, Glenett, his niece; a nephew: Larry Gregory and his wife, Lois, of Springfield, Missouri; a niece: Kay (Smith) Garrison and her husband, Gary, of Springfield, Missouri; a nephew: Bradley Carl Smith and his wife, Lisa, of Marionville, Missouri; a nephew: Donald Long; a nephew: Dwayne Long; a niece: Diane Glover; a niece: Marilyn Williamson; a niece: Doris Peterson; many great- nieces and nephews; many great-great-nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and dear friends who will sadly miss him.

The family wishes to express special appreciation to a dear couple: Charles and Evelyn Maines, who provided many years of special love and care to Uncle Pod and Aunt Ruth.

As a family, we are honored and blessed to have shared our lives with Norval “Pod” Owens. A generation has now passed for many of us, but we will forever cling to and treasure the special memories which will remain with us until we meet again.


Funeral Service: Saturday,

January 19, 2013 at 11:00 AM
in the Rock Chapel Free Will
Baptist Church north of Norwood, Missouri.



Visitation: Saturday,
January 19th from 10:30 AM

to 11:00 AM, before the service at the church.



Burial: Rock Chapel Cemetery