W B Owen

W. B. Owen (Sonny) passed at home Monday morning, January 26th at the age of 95. He would have been 96 on February 2. Sonny was born in 1930 to Thomas Waverly and Bessie Purdie Owen and had one sibling, Alda Owen Garner Gildner, who predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Nell Crocker Owen; daughters, Susan Saunders (Whit) and Alice Adams; grandchildren, Owen and Carleigh Saunders and Elizabeth Adams and special niece, Linda Raye Evans. Sonny had a special connection to Luna, one of the granddogs, who provided him extra comfort over the last few months.

Sonny was a 1948 graduate of Newport News High school and member of the basketball team. He moved to the family farm in Carrollton (Cedar Grove) at the age of 15 and remained there until his passing. Sonny was extremely involved in Isle of Wight County. He was a former president of the Carrollton Ruritan Club, Chairman of the Social Services Board, Vice Chairman of the 20th Planning District of Virginia and member of the Western Tidewater Community Services Board. He resigned from the Isle of Wight County Planning Commission and Economic Development Authority to become Isle of Wight County Administrator in 1980. He retired from the Administrator position in 1987 to pursue land development.

A lifelong Methodist, he was an active member of Benns United Methodist church for over 65 years where he had served as Chairman of the Church Council, Trustees, Finance and Staff Parish.

Sonny felt blessed to have lived more than 70 years with Nell and their children growing up in the house his father built on the Chuckatuck Creek. Their daughters and grandchildren still live very close to home. He was also blessed by his Benns Church family who have provided many meals and some very special neighborhood friends who have transported him to appointments over the last few years. He and Nell have been taken care of very well over the past four years by Lori Joyner and her team and he thanks them for loving them and continuing to take care of Nell.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Little’s Funeral Home in Smithfield. Visitation will be from 6:00 – 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 29, 2026 at Little’s Funeral Home, 1515 South Church Street, Smithfield. A celebration of life service will be held Friday, January 30, 2026 at 11:00 am at Benns United Methodist Church,14571 Benns Church Blvd, Smithfield. A private burial at St Lukes will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Benns United Methodist Church or the Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department. Online condolences may be registered at www.littlesfuneralhome.com