Cheryl Ann Owen

Cheryl Ann Jay was born on August 18, 1958 at home in Jenkins, Missouri to Carl Jackson "Jack" and Alice Hall Jay. Cheryl attended Asherville Grade School in Asherville, Kansas through the 4th grade until the school consolidated with Beloit Elementary School. She graduated in 1976 from Beloit High School and was an AFS student to Munich and Berlin, Germany the following year. On May 21, 1977 Cheryl married Keith Leroy Hamilton. Together they had two sons, Shaun Allen and Adam Carl and were married for 19 years. Cheryl married John Edward "Eddie" Owen on May 22, 1998. Together, they were lived in Mankato, Kansas where Eddie served as Sheriff until his retirement and then they moved to Glasco, Kansas where Cheryl worked as a nurse in a local nursing home.
Cheryl was always known for her sense of humor, loving personality and generous heart. She had a way of making every situation fun with her humorous antics. Laughter followed Cheryl wherever she went. One of her favorite quotations was by Charlie Chaplain: "A day without laughter is a day wasted".

Cheryl had a true passion for helping others. She graduated from Cloud County Community College as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked in various nursing capacities but spent the last years of her life working in geriatrics where she felt strongly about being an advocate for the elderly and their families.

Cheryl moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2007 after losing her husband Eddie.

Family was at the center of Cheryl's life, and she loved her children and grandchildren very much. She loved telling them stories, playing games, watching scary movies and starting her own unique family traditions. Cheryl also loved to go on road trips with her family.

Cheryl was preceded in death by her parents Jack and Alice Jay; her husband Eddie Owen and her grandson Joseph Jay Hamilton. She is survived by her children, Shaun Allen Hamilton and wife Lori Ann and their daughter Janessa of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Adam Carl Hamilton and wife Rayne and their children Jaden, Hanna, and Rhys of Topeka, Kansas; brother Jim Jay and wife Joyce of St. Mary's Georgia; sister Barbara Wessling and husband Bob of Beloit, Kansas; sister Connie Wright and husband Bryan of Palm Desert, California; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many friends.

Burial of her ashes will be at 1 PM Saturday, June 18, 2011 in the Glenwood Cemetery with Father Joseph Kieffer officiating. A Celebration of Her Life will follow at 3 PM at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6242 in Beloit, Kansas. The family requests memorials be given to the Cheryl Owen Nursing Scholarship.