James B. Owens ’55

Jim was born May 16, 1933, in Tientsin, China, to Lillian Braswell Owens and A. Bingham Owens. He died March 14, 2017, from complications of multiple myeloma. He was 83.

At Princeton, Jim rowed on the varsity crew, earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, and joined Quadrangle Club.

His first career was in the computer industry and included work at IBM and General Electric. He began a second career in commercial and industrial real estate when he joined Kidder, Mathews & Segner in 1976, where he advanced to principal and worked until he retired in 1997.

He participated in a mission to Ethiopia to administer polio immunizations. Jim was named Rotarian of the Year in 2004 for his work in the Belleview Breakfast Rotary Club as charter member and president and in the Rotary Foundation.

Music was a big part of his life. He sang barbershop and enjoyed entertaining friends with his harmonica. Jim’s love of sailing started as a young man; he spent many happy sailing vacations with his family.

Jim was predeceased by his brother, Bingham. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Katie; sons Bingham and Craig; daughters-in-law Valerie and Katy; grandchildren Nell and Charlie; and sisters Duval and Laura.