Roy "Skip" Owings Jr.

Roy “Skip” Owings Jr. took his last breath on earth and his first breath in heaven on Friday, March 14 th , 2025. Following a brief illness with cancer, he passed bravely and peacefully, surrounded by family at his home in Missoula, MT.

Skip was born March 6th, 1951 in Lewistown, MT to Roy and Frances Owings. Most of his early years were spent in Ovando and Plains, before the family moved to Missoula, where he attended Sentinel High School.

Following high school graduation in 1969, Skip attended Northwest College (now Northwest University) in Kirkland, WA where he earned both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees. While there, he met and married the love of his life, Judy (Coggins) of Lyman, WA.

Returning to Montana, Skip worked in the timber industry with his father Roy Owings Sr., with whom he shared a deep bond and mutual respect. They logged out of Missoula, East Glacier, and Kalispell before settling in Missoula in 1978 to begin “Owings Equipment Company” with service and sales of heavy equipment. That remained Skip’s primary career until 2006 when he began work in the oil field for Halliburton Energy, where he was a maintenance foreman. He retired from full-time work in 2019.

Skip’s legacy of hard work and a generous heart was evident in both his professional and personal life. Outside of work, he spent countless hours serving friends, his family, and his church, as a master mechanic and craftsman. If a tool or part wasn’t available to fix something, he would make it himself. While he was glad to mend, patch, and fix physical items, he also served as a trusted leader for many years on the board of Christian Life Center, including a current term to the day of his passing.

Skip had many joys in life. First, a personal relationship with his Savior, Jesus Christ that began at a young age and continued as his plumbline for life. He also treasured his wife Judy, who joyfully walked in-step with him for all of their 51 years. Blessed with two sons, Chet and Glenn, Skip loved spending time with them and their families. His grandkids hold special memories of reading books together in his chair, making homemade ice cream, doing house projects with their grandpa and even a few snow ski trips in recent years. Skip enjoyed camping, hunting, and fishing throughout his life. Those, and a good cup of coffee, were frequent connection points with cherished family and friends. 

Perhaps his favorite personal hobby was flying and few things captured his interest like the intricacies of manned flight. Skip owned and operated three different aircraft throughout his life, starting in 1975 with a Piper Tri-Pacer. He eventually had the privilege of helping to restore the WWII-era Douglas C-47 nicknamed “Miss Montana”. He was honored to accompany the flight crew of the historic transport plane to the world renowned EAA Oshkosh Airshow in 2019 and 2021.

In all facets of life, Skip was known as a man of character, trusted and respected by those who knew him. He was loyal, consistent, trustworthy, confident, and strong in mind and body. He was not easily swayed, but gentle in his disposition and precise with words. He was always prepared and thinking ahead, as evidenced by a successful emergency landing of his Cessna 172 on September 16 th , 2016, when the engine failed during flight.

Skip is survived by his wife Judy, Missoula; mother Frances, Kalispell; sons Chet (Brianne), Kalispell and Glenn (Liz), Laramie, WY and six grandchildren (Logan, Caleb, Emrie, Timber, Seeley, and Micah). Also surviving him are brother in law, Al Ray, Kalispell; sister in law Glenice (Bill) Sundquist, Everett, WA; sister in law Marveen Coggins, Nikiski, AK; brother in law Mark (Melanie) Coggins, Punta Gorda, FL; and numerous aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Skip was predeceased by his father, Roy Sr.; sister Thelma Ray; brother in law David Pearson, and brother in law Wayne Coggins.

A celebration of Skip’s life will be held Sunday, April 6th, 2:30 pm at Christian Life Center, 3801 S. Russell St., Missoula, MT 59801. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Skip’s name may be made to Christian Life Center, 3801 S. Russell St., MT 59801. 

Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home.