Mrs. Gladys M. Christian Owens

Mrs. Gladys Mills Christian Owens, age 104, formerly of Westfield, died Thursday, September 19, 2013, at Ridgecrest Retirement Home. She was born in Patrick County to John Fountain (Bud) and Emma Jane Flippin Mills. She graduated from Radford College with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and taught school for forty years. She taught in Patrick County, Stokes County, Surry County and retired from Mount Airy City School in 1971. She was a member of Westfield Baptist Church, where she was a former member of the choir, taught Sunday school and was a member of the WMU. Mrs. Owens was an inactive auxiliary member of Northern Hospital of Surry County and received an award from Governor Hunt's office for her volunteer work. She is survived by a son, Robert Fred and wife Betty Christian of Rural Hall; grandsons, Robert Fred, Jr. and wife Kim Christian, Daniel Bruce and wife Annie Christian; a granddaughter, Cynthia Christian Mabe; five great grandchildren, Morgan and Kelsi Christian, Jake and Marissa Christian; a brother and two sisters-in-law, Graham K Mills and wife Janet of Murrysville, PA, Mary Anna Mills of Springfield, OH and several nieces, nephews and many loving friends. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Owens was preceded in death by her first husband, Frank Christian; her second husband, Aubrey Owens; five sisters, Little Emma Mills, Ruth Joyce Simmons, Annie Laura McMillian, Gertrude Needham and Virginia Hart and by brothers, John F. Mills, Jr. and Arthur Mills. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, September 23, 2013 at Westfield Baptist Church by Dr. Joel Stephens. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church starting at 12:30. Memorials may be made to Westfield Baptist Church Building Fund at 6713 Westfield Rd., Westfield, NC 27053 or to Mountain Valley Hospice at 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mt. Airy, NC 27030. The family would like to express a special thank you to Mrs. Owens' nieces June and Judy and also to the staff at Ridgecrest for all their love and support.
Online condolences may be made at www.moodyfuneralservices.com.