Owen B. Wilmot, 84, passed away at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames on Monday, May 11, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. A visitation will be 3:00 -- 7:00 PM with the family present from 5:00-7:00 PM Wednesday May 12, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care 414 Lincoln Way. A funeral service will be 10:00 AM Thursday May 14 at North Grand Christian Church in Ames. Burial will be at 5:00PM Rose Hill Cemetery in Albion, NE.


Owen was born on March 1, 1925 in Boone County , Nebraska to Everett F. and Anna P. (Goin) Wilmot. He was a graduate of Albion High School and in May of 1950 received his B.A. in Ministerial Studies from Nebraska Christian College in Norfolk .

On August 23, 1949, Owen married Dorothy Frances Case in Hamburg , Iowa . Their marriage was blessed with three children: Debra, Jay, and Neal.

Owen worked for the Union Pacific Railroad before attending Bible College and becoming a pastor. During his 40 years of full-time ministry, he served at congregations in Palmer, Bayard, and Blair Nebraska ; Cherokee and Clarion, Iowa ; Huron, South Dakota ; and Edmonton , Alberta , Canada .

Following his retirement, Owen worked part-time as a chaplain at a long-term care center until he and Dorothy moved to Ames in 1995, where he served as a funeral assistant at Stevens Memorial Chapel. Owen was probably best known during his years in Ames as a greeter at Wal-mart, where he made many friends and won several awards for outstanding customer service.

Owen was a member of North Grand Christian Church. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Clarion, Iowa and the Kiwanis Club in Blair , Nebraska .

Owen is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dorothy Wilmot of Ames, daughter Deb Anderson and her husband, Ray of Ames, sister Margie Blecher of Red Oak, IA, sister Shirley Meis and her husband Jim of Elgin NE, brother Duane Wilmot and his wife Marjorie of Yuma, AZ, and three grandchildren, David and Jessica Cameron and Ryan Anderson, all of Ames.

Owen was preceded into eternal life by his parents; one sister, Ruby Wilmot; his twin brother, Otis A. Wilmot; and his two sons, Jay Owen Wilmot and Neal Allen Wilmot.