Terrence (Terry) Neil Owen 84, Died August 4, 2023, in Clearfield, UT.
He was born Terrence Neil Wheatley in his grandmothers’ home in Green River Utah on January 1, 1940, to Terrence P. and Marjorie McDougall Wheatley. He lived in Green River until August of 1943, when he moved with his mom and stepdad Thomas Festin Owen to Dragerton, UT, where he was raised and his stepdad adopted him, officially making him an Owen.
He married Gaylene Kay Preston in October 1957. He joined the Army in 1962 and served three years. In April of 1965 he and Gaylene adopted Beth when she was only three days old. Shortly after the adoption he moved his family to somewhere in Southeast Asia to work for Air America. At some point Gaylene and Beth returned to the United States and divorced Terry.
Having spent some time in Southeast Asia with the military and Air America, he fell in love with Thailand and made it his home for the next 12 years. While in Thailand he met Supunnica and they were married in 1973. He adopted her two children Lalida (Vanda) and Taime (Pong). He returned to the states in 1979, stayed for two years then returned to Thailand in 1981, not much is known about his life in Thailand other than the jobs listed in his about information on his Facebook page, and that he divorced Supunnica, had a falling out with his daughter Vanda, and had to bury his son. He returned permanently to the states after the death of his son Taime in 2003.
He lived with his sister Joyce in Salt Lake City, during the winters and in Martha’s Vinyard during clambake season, working for Martha’s Vinyard Clambake CO. He was eventually able to work for the clambake from his home in Utah, taking care of all their administrative needs and maintaining their company website. He really enjoyed his clambake job and worked for them until the day he passed from this world into the next. He also enjoyed time with family and going to church. He said he had made some good friends in his ward who helped him get back into the church and get baptized. He was elated when he found out that one of his grandchildren from Thailand was now living in the United States not far from where he was living and was able to reconnect with her. He never really talked about his life other than a few anecdotal stories. He did say he lived a full life with some regrets and when he was gone just wanted people to know “I Did It My Way”.
Terry was survived by his brother Dan Owen, daughter Beth (Bill) Gates, granddaughter Bay (Rulon), grandsons Brayden (Kala) Gates, & Kordon (Chanelle) Gates, all living in Utah, daughter Lalida Snidvongs Na Ayutthaya, grandchildren Wiriyapan Snidvongs Na Ayutthaya, Puntharika (Chatterapon) Snidvongs Na Ayutthaya, Yaowapanee Snidvongs Na Ayutthaya, & Nateekarn Snidvongs Na Ayutthaya, all living in Thailand and by nieces and nephews living in Utah, Georgia, and Minnesota.
He was proceeded in death by brother Thomas G. Owen, dad Thomas F. Owen, sister-in-law Betty J. Owen, sister Cheryl B. Owen, mother Marjorie M. Owen, son Taime S. Owen, sister E. Joyce Owen and a niece Terri Dawn Clifford.
Grave dedication will be 11:00 am Friday August 30th, 2024, at the Price City Cemetery, with a gathering of family and friends at Pioneer Park in Price, Utah following the grave dedication.