One thing about the human race is that there are so many good representatives of it. People who each day in their routines help others to perform tasks and responsibilities that drive the engine of society for all Americans to benefit from while acquiring new and lasting friendships along the way. These people are quite necessary and are woven through the fabric of our population all across our land, and it was no different that many Chillicothean’s would also strongly possess these distinctions of hard work and brotherhood. 

One such person was born on February 1, 1955 in Peoria at Methodist Hospital to Edward and Charlotte (Crady) Owens, who named their new son Gregory. He was delivered by Dr. Fred Z White as were so many, and in the coming years that stretched before him he would by nature, cause positive outcomes for many. 

Greg’s brother and best friend, Stanley, was born on June 9, 1956. When Greg was four, his parents dissolved their marriage and he and his little brother with his dad moved to Deventer, MO for two years with Grandpa Owens who worked a tenant farm.  While there one day, at age five, carrying a smaller sack, he helped field hands pick cotton by hand in the hot sun for over an hour and with an aching back and sore, bleeding hands, learned what hard work was all about early in his life. At age six, on his return to Chillicothe, they lived with and were raised by his Grandparents Clyde and Margaret Crady and grew up at 1521 Cloverdale Road until 1971. Then he married his high school sweetheart Vicky Poplette on October 26, 1974. 

In his boyhood he always had a job—the Chillicothe Bulletin, Peoria Journal Star, Peters Floral, and Kenny’s IGA. He attended South School, Pearce, and graduated from IVC in 1972.  He went to ICC for two years and studied Graphic Design at Bradley University. In those years, he worked many jobs; anything to pay the bills. He freelanced design work for Bergner’s with layout newspaper ads along with The Observer and Miracle Mart and also pumped gas at a full-service station while doing Logo design for various businesses like Weavers Fried Chicken.  

Much joy came to them when daughter Sarah arrived in 1977 and again with Kerri in 1979, but Greg’s constitution and strength would be tested that year when Stan, his best friend and only sibling of 23 years, perished in a car-motorcycle accident that he witnessed. 

Greg and Vicky celebrated their 50th anniversary recently and during that span of time, they would open their doors to as many as 72 lost and lonely foster children, thus setting lasting examples of compassion and sharing with their own and others. 

As his career unfolded, he worked on several magazine layouts for large-volume printing at Tri Color Corporation and print material for Caterpillar/ John Deere/Wabco and State Farm at Edward Hine Printing. From 1980 until 2003 he was Art Director of Design and prepress at Fleming-Potter, involving the wine industry, Hiram Walker, Jose Cuervo , and Jack Daniels. Just before Fleming-Potter stopped operations, Greg created The Owens Design Group for downtown Chillicothe and later with much drive and determination helped breathe new life into one of the city’s oldest buildings to further re-build and beautify our downtown areas and promote interest to others. 

The establishment is simply beautiful and a prime example of exquisite commercial applications, but Greg would tell us that none of it would work without his crack staff of employees, family and the one person who stood with him , believed in him, and backed him in all of their years together, Vicky. Greg say’s she is strong, invaluable, and the backbone of our business and marriage.

He has been a Township Trustee since 2009 with the goal of caring for our youth and the elderly. He recently became Vice President of The Chamber of Commerce and promotes the economic interests by working with other local businesses. He relates to Chuck Flagg as a big influence and mentor in his life who, among others like Kenny Carr, taught him about good work ethics. 

Do you believe in Santa? Thanks to Greg, many area kids do. For the last two years he has enjoyed being the jolly old St. Nick in the Christmas Parade and seeing the smiles and excitement on the faces of so many young believers while also patiently listening to all the requests that are made when they sit on his lap and drain the feeling from his legs. Some of the requests are quite interesting like one from a young lad who said, I want a neat golf cart, do you do co-signs? And another who said simply all she wanted was peace on earth. Out of the mouths of babes. One thing for sure, we have the right guy behind the white beard and the one who loves the job so much. Who would have thought that Greg’s story would come almost full circle from a child who once carried and loaded a cotton sack in southern Missouri, to a happy 69-year-old large man carrying a sack of Christmas wishes for the little people in his hometown. 

Greg is but one of many in our town who subscribe in a natural and unassuming posture, that to give is more important than to receive. His actions over the years in our community, show us that he supports programs and ideals that promote further growth to our city and benefit his fellow citizens in many ways. There have been and always will be Hometown Heroes in Chillicothe of different walks, occupations, and stature, and now Greg E. Owens— businessman, family man, ambassador of goodwill to all, and a man who has a heart that is clearly in the right place—joins those ranks. Thank you, Sir, for just being you, and Happy 70th Birthday. Ho! Ho! Ho!