ELLEN NEEL "HONEY" OWENS, age 78, a resident of Charleston, died Sunday, December 22, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

Born June 14, 1935, in Blodgett, to the late Robert and Freda Barnes Graham, she moved to Charleston in 1945. She attended Southeast Missouri Teachers College in Cape Girardeau and taught in several rural Mississippi County schools including Birds Point, Bridges, Grigsby, Concord and Dogwood until 1963. At the age of 10 she joined the First Baptist Church in Charleston and during her 68 year membership served as choir member, Sunday School teacher, and Director of Vacation Bible School. Her love and commitment to service was also evidenced through her participation in missions as she represented her church in mission trips to Russia, service as a delegate to the Charleston Baptist Association, and as a member of the Lydia Group, the ladies mission organization at her church. She and her husband loved to travel overseas and throughout the United States.

On May 14, 1960 she married William A. Owens who survives of the home

Surviving are one son, William Neel Owens of Charleston; two brothers and sisters in law, Robert "Bob" and Meekee Graham and Tom and Melissa Graham all of Charleston; nieces and nephews, Clinton (Toni) Graham and Melissa (Bill) Reynolds all of Charleston, Charles (Lindsey) Graham of Cape Girardeau, and Robin (Steve) Cooke of Nashville, TN; also her great nieces and nephews, Daniel and Emma Reynolds, Morgan and Davis Cooke, and Karsyn Graham.

In addition to her immediate family she is survived by a special group of her high school friends known as the JJJ's. They are Anna Marie Duff French, Dorothy Ann Goodin Brink, Nancy Callahan Kirkpatrick, Peggy Drake McNeary, Linda Kellett Collier, Janet Burke Shew, Pat Wright Frayser, Greta Warren Watson, Margie Ficklin Cervantes, Sandy Sylvester Vowels, and Shirley Hess Rowell.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 26, 2013, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Charleston where Funeral Services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 27, 2013. Rev. Michael Brewer, pastor of the First Baptist Church, and Rev. Gerald Collier of Ironton will officiate.

Interment will follow in the IOOF Cemetery under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Clinton Graham, Charles Graham, Bill Reynolds, Steve Cooke, Boyd French, Brad Hequembourg, and Donny DeLine.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, First Baptist Church, PO Box 442, Charleston, MO 63834.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.