Erin White Owings Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Mrs. Loyce Erin White Owings passed away on Tuesday, June 21st, at Spring Arbor of Greenville NC where she had lived for the past several months. Erin, who would have celebrated her 99th birthday this Fourth of July, is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Markley James Owings of Greenwood SC, son Donald Henry Owings, PhD, oldest daughter and best friend, Beverly Leah Owings, grandson Christopher James Cliff, daughter in law Carole Lee Morrow Owings, and son in law Earl Edward Haberstroh. She is survived by her children Markley James Owings Jr., Ellen Anne Owings Haberstroh, Loyce Lucille Owings Freeman, eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends. She was born on July 4, 1923, in Abbeville SC to Martha Viola Culbreath White and Henry Loy White and graduated from Greenwood SC High School. She married her high school sweetheart in 1941. After the wedding, Markley’s mother was shocked that a preacher would marry two 17-year-old “children”! They admitted they had lied about their ages in order to convince the preacher to marry them. She worked as a secretary for Lawyer Charles in downtown Greenwood until the first of her five children was born. Knowing that she had children to raise and a home to make, she put aside the books she loved to read and turned her attention to her family which she cared for energetically and lovingly. Since she married and had children at such an early age, she did not learn to drive a car, swim, or play the piano until later in life. She returned to work after her children were grown, working in a health food store – where she was robbed at gunpoint – a machine shop, and then as a secretary at the University of Texas Dental Branch for more than a decade. She maintained an active church life as they moved from city to city. Congregations and communities in Greenwood, Atlanta, Savannah, Pittsburgh, Houston, and Greenville NC all benefitted from her deep faith and devoted service. Shortly before she died, she said, “I don’t mind saying it’s been a good life, because it has. And I’m thankful for it. I’ve had a really good life.” Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 26, 2022 at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Kyle Hite officiating. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family request a tree be given in Mrs. Owings' memory to the Arbor Day Foundation (www.arborday.org/giveatree). To view Mrs. Owings' livestream, please click the following link: https://youtu.be/eYFVT_FFSdE

Erin White Owings

June 21, 2022