Beverly M. Owen

Beverly Mae Owen, age 89, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Saturday, November 6, 2021 at the local care center.  Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Watertown.  Rev. Kent Stillson will officiate.  Music will be provided by A.J. Sherrill as organist with Robbyn Givens as soloist.

Visitation will be at the church on Wednesday, prior to the service, starting at 9:30 a.m.

Burial will be at Webster City Cemetery in Webster, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be Bobbie Kuskie, Lana Schott, Dan Schott, Virginia Schaff, Patty Spiry, Bill Spiry, Bill Smart, Mike Bergh, Barb Bergh and Loren Berg. Active pallbearers are Ryan Patterson, Tawna Patterson, Randy Damgaard, Diane Madsen, Mike Madsen, Grant Titze, Deb Titze, Kay Friebel, Doug Fellbaum, Cheryl Hewitt and Tom Aljoe.

Beverly Mae Hagen was born on August 22, 1932, in Webster, SD, to Rueben Johansson Hagen and Agnes Helene Hagen. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.  Beverly graduated from Webster High School in 1950.  She attended Northern State Teachers College from 1950-1951 and received her teaching certificate.  Beverly taught in a one room rural schoolhouse. 

On April 1, 1952, Beverly married John Owen.  Three children were born to this union: Kathryn, Karen, and Randy.  The family moved to Britton, SD, in 1956, where they lived for 50 years before moving to Watertown, SD.  Beverly Owen’s life was centered around the things she loved most; family, faith, and music.

She always said that God gave her talent and she needed to share it with all ~ and she did. Music was always a part of her life. She sang her first solo, “I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve”, at the age of 4.  Beverly surrounded herself with musically talented friends all her life, and enjoyed singing in choirs and other music ensembles.  She sang at over 2,000 occasions: weddings, funerals, and community celebrations.  In Britton, she was known as the funeral and wedding singer. Beverly even sang to her husband, John Owen, as she walked down the aisle. 

Beverly’s love was always teaching children to sing, which she did for many years, and she was happiest when they could sing louder than her.  Together with friends from First Lutheran Church, Beverly started choir school for grade school members.  She never used a microphone and would encourage others to sing saying, “let’s raise the rafters”. It was one of her greatest joys to watch her son, Randy, develop from a soprano as a boy, into a tenor as an adult.  Together they sang many duets at family functions, weddings and funerals. Beverly loved to sing to her grandchildren, who often told her, “Grandma, you have a song for everything”.

Beverly was very active in the Britton community for 50 years.  She and John operated the Ben Franklin Store, Britton Realty, and the Get Together.  She was bookkeeper for Owen Livestock in Britton, and also worked at South Dakota Livestock in Watertown.  She was an active member of many organizations: First Lutheran Church, American Legion, Study Club, PEO, Prayer Rock Museum, Britton Chamber, and Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Watertown.  

Beverly loved to have parties and entertain.  Decorating for holidays was her specialty, and her favorite was Christmas.  She hosted many Christmas dinners, community fund raisers, Christmas tour of homes, and Sing for your Supper.  It was written that Bev has a superlative reputation as the doyen of beautiful table settings.

Beverly is survived by her family: Kathryn (Paul) Macek of Plymouth, MN, Randy (Chris) Owen of Watertown, SD, and Karen (Ertugrul) Tuzcu of Minneapolis, MN; her grandchildren: John Paul Macek (Anne Catherine Jackson) of Minneapolis, MN, Steven (Jenny) Macek of Rochester, MN, and Zeynep Tuzcu, of Minneapolis, MN; and her special great-grandchild that brought a smile to her heart, Archer Owen Macek.

 Memorials may be directed to: Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, 2001 2nd St, Watertown, SD, 57201, First Lutheran Church, PO Box 150, Britton, SD, 57430, or Norway House, 913 E Franklin Ave. Minneapolis, MN, 55404.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel       www.crawfordosthus.com

Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant

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