Owen A. Janes, Jr.

Owen Janes, Jr.November 17, 1940 – January 11, 2025

Owen Janes, Jr. passed away on January 11, 2025, surrounded by family at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Ontario, Oregon. Born in Caldwell, Idaho, on November 17, 1940, Owen spent his childhood in Homedale and Cambridge, Idaho, where he developed a lifelong aptitude for fixing things.

Owen served in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief from 1961 to 1963, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada. After his military service, he worked as a welder for Southwest Gas in Las Vegas before returning to the Treasure Valley in the early 1970s. There, he worked as a mechanic at Ore-Ida Foods until his retirement in 2007.

Once his mind was made up, he had a strong will. This led to him giving up smoking and drinking and the second half of his life being very different from the first half. In his later years, he applied the same determination to controlling Type 2 diabetes through diet.

One of the highlights of his life was learning to fly his 1946 Aeronca Champ and sharing the joy of flying with others. In his younger years, he spent a lot of time on motorcycles. He also enjoyed hunting in the desert hills and reloading.

Owen is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Peggy, three sisters, one brother, seven children, nineteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, and one grandchild.

A memorial service to honor Owen’s life will be held at a later date.