Jerry Lewis Owenby, 75, went to meet Jesus on June 23, 2025, while holding his wife's hand. A native of the hills of Tennessee, he grew up in Sevier County fishing in the crick and attending the church where his dad pastored and his mom played the piano. He spent many summers in Shriners Hospitals for Children on the burn ward. He loved sports and umpired youth baseball games; in high school, he played football and basketball. Upon graduation, he moved to Virginia and entered the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding. During his 47 years there, he worked on many ships, carriers, and submarines, ending as general foreman of X36 (go, Big Blue). He considered many of his coworkers to be family and looked forward to the chase every day at the yard. An avid golfer, he enjoyed playing golf tournaments and competing with his brothers on the greens. He was also an active member of the Propeller Club for over 22 years and served on its Board of Governors as secretary, president, vice president and board member.

He said he was supposed to die in 1952 from his burn trauma but instead he'd been gifted a long life and a wonderful family and he was grateful to God for both.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Gale (Silsby) Owenby of Newport News as well as his mother-in-law Dorothy (Harton) Silsby of Newport News; his daughter Susan (Owenby) Lawrence and her husband Glenn of Ontario, Canada; his daughter Sherry (Owenby) St. Amour and her husband Henry of Pennsylvania; his daughter-in-law Brooke (Schubert) Owenby-Kennedy and her husband Walter Kennedy of Yorktown; his brother Jack Owenby and his wife Brenda of Tennessee, his brother Eddie Owenby and his wife Nancy of Georgia, his brother George Owenby and his wife Janice of Tennessee; his 7 grandsons, 5 granddaughters, 1 grandson-in-law, and 1 great-granddaughter; his brother-in-law Steve Silsby and his wife Faye of North Carolina; his sister-in-law Sherri (Silsby) Mertz of California; his sister-in-law Lou (McCeldrey) Owenby of Alabama; his sister-in-law Ninajo (Tarver) Owenby of Georgia and his many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and their spouses and children.

He was preceded in death by his sister Susan (Owenby) Whaley, his father T. Lee Owenby, his mother Nora Belle (King) Owenby, his brother Jim Owenby, his brother Bill Owenby, and his son Chris Owenby.

Visitation is Tuesday, July 1, 2025, from 5-6:30 pm at W. J. Smith & Son Funeral Home, 210 Harpersville Road, Newport News. The funeral service is Wednesday at 10:00 am at Maranatha Baptist Church, 221 Hampton Highway, Yorktown, with Pastor Henry St. Amour III and Pastor Bob Monteith officiating. The family will have a private burial service at Peninsula Memorial Park in the afternoon.