Joanne E. Owens

JoAnne E. Owens, lifetime resident of Catonsville, Maryland passed peacefully at her home on July 12, 2024 after a long illness. She was 77.

The daughter of the late John M. and Eleanor A. Stefura, JoAnne grew up in Catonsville. She attended St. Agnes school before graduating from Catonsville Sr. High in 1964. She married her high-school sweetheart, Ralph W. Owens in September 1965 and briefly resided in both Alabama and Georgia during his military service before returning to Baltimore.

She was a proud housewife and mother before working as a long-term substitute teacher in Baltimore County, mostly at Westowne Elementary and Catonsville Jr. & Sr. High schools, where she could stay close to her two children as well as the others she embraced. After her teaching career she accepted a secretarial position, eventually becoming office manager for Northeast Health Management where she worked for almost 30 years.

Upon retiring, JoAnne enjoyed her time with her family – caring for her husband, watching her granddaughters and grand-dogs, taking care of her plants, and shopping. She treasured the many family vacations to the ocean or throughout the Caribbean - not because of the location, but because her family was there with her. She loved children, animals and enjoying the best that life had to offer. She was admired for her faith. She was loved by all who knew her.

In addition to her husband Ralph, she is survived by her son Stephen & his wife Karen (Ruark), her daughter Heather & her husband Tim (Nizer), her granddaughters Ashley Owens and Alexa Nizer, her brother Dennis Stefura, her sister Linda Soaper & her husband Mike and her nieces & nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory to either the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Humane Society of Baltimore County.