MUMBLINGS August 4, 2005

L. Dick Owen Jr. was a mountain of a man and spent 86 years proving it.

Comparatively, he lived a quiet life during his last 20 or 25 years, but was virtually a ball of fire earlier in life.

He had so many it would be difficult to tell which of his accomplishments was the greatest.

He had a great war record in World War II. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and immediately went into the service as a reserve officer. He got out of the service in 1945 after receiving many honors for bravery in the European sector.

A native of Bay Minette, he enlisted in the army and served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Later, he was called back to active duty during the Korean War and retired as Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1963. While serving as a paratrooper in the European sector, and being involved in several dangerous battles, he received six bronze stars and several other medals.

It was not my privilege to be close to Dick until we both got out of the war in 1945. However, I was quite involved with the Owen family prior to this. Arriving here in 1936, I was soon elected mayor and his father L.D. Owen Sr., Big Dick he was called, became mayor pro tem. Then when I volunteered into the Army Air Corps, he became mayor. Later, little Dick served on the city council and also served as mayor pro tem.

Dick was a close friend of Governor George Wallace and worked for him throughout the United States in Wallace's presidential efforts. Because of his friendship and following the death of Probate Judge W.R. Stuart, Governor Wallace appointed Dick probate judge of the county. However, he lost the election for a new term.

Following this, it occurred to me that he was too good a man to dry up so to speak here in Bay Minette. He was too able and too needful not to be of political service. With this view, I went to him and practically begged him to run for a vacancy in the state legislature, which was caused when Telfair J. Mashburn was elected circuit judge. I told Dick if he would run, I would raise the money for his race, which at that time, he needed only $2,000.00. At first he was reluctant, but finally agreed to it-he did and I did. Following this, he served six years in the legislature and then eight years in the state senate.

In the senate, he received many honors, among which was "Most Effective Senator" by the Alabama Press Association and was chairman of the powerful Senate Finance and Taxation Committee. I don't recall any other senator from Baldwin County ever achieving this powerful position.

A strong Democrat, he was later defeated for re-election to the senate when the Republicans sort of took over the county and Perry Hand took his place.

During the past few years, he could always be found at the corner of Courthouse Square in the renowned Builder's Hardware and Supply Company. This company was previously owned by his father and J.C. Burns. Burns was mayor prior to my term. He did not want to run again and unbelievably asked me if I would seek his position. I was 23 and he was in his late sixties. I was humbled and honored and did what he suggested. Upon his death, L.D. Owen, Dick's daddy, Big Dick, bought the hardware store and it is still in the Owen family.

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Dick could always be found in the store serving as a proprietor, clerk, janitor, or whatever came to be needed. He would greet people including me as "Hello Boss, what can I do for you?" or, "What good news do you have?". He was friendly and had thousands of friends who would drop by to see him, not only locally, but from the entire state. He seemed to always have time to chat.

Dick loved his family, his city, state, county, and country. He was extremely patriotic and although he served in two wars, would have gone again had he been called. I doubt if many people knew it, but Dick disliked the United Nations and told me many times it should be abolished. Sometimes I agree with him.

Dick played a big part in obtaining a two-year college for Baldwin County. It happened something like this: In 1963, legislation was passed making it possible for two-year colleges to be built in Alabama. It was one of George Wallace's main accomplishments and originally they were supposed to build eight. Probably intended to put one in each of the nine Alabama Board of Education districts.

Early on, the one for this area was placed in Monroeville because they had a member on the Board of Education. Also, one was promised to Brewton.

Although Bay Minette got started late, a meeting was called and I was asked to be chairman of the group to obtain a school for us. Even though many made fun of us because they thought we were too late, I did agree to it provided Dick would agree to be co-chairman. He did and because of his friendship to George Wallace and others throughout the state we were successful.

He was also active in seeing that the school was named after me. Later, with my cooperation, we were able to get the fine new auditorium at the college named the L.D. Owen Jr. Performing Arts Center.

Owen had two brothers, Robert, who died last year and his other, Jimmy, is three years younger than Dick and retired as a general in the Army Reserve.

His only son is L.D. Owen III, a local attorney. He is attorney for the City of Bay Minette.

Everybody wonders what is going to happen to Builder's Hardware. Hopefully it will remain open. No doubt, his lovely wife, Annie Ruth, will have something to say about this.

See you again soon, I hope.