Mary Jeanne Owens

A loving wife and mother with an incredible talent for creating unique arts and crafts, Mary Jeanne Owens passed away at her home in Sagle, Idaho, on January 26, 2020, after a long and hard fought battle against COPD, emphysema and congestive heart failure.

Mary was born December 1, 1948, in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Albert and Christine Weiszhaar. She attended Holy Rosary Catholic School and was a graduate of Idaho Falls High School in 1967. After graduating, she married Larry Owens on October 14, 1967, whom she had met in first grade when Larry was in the second, and they started their family in Idaho Falls. Mary chose to be a stay-at-home-mom with their first three children. Then, while pregnant with their fourth child, they moved the family to Sandpoint, Idaho in August of 1978. After settling in, Mary took a job working for the Spokane Chron-icle, delivering newspapers to local vending machines throughout Sandpoint, and quickly became manager of the Sandpoint delivery branch. She saw that all four of her children had a newspaper route as they grew up, instilling in them at a very early age a strong sense of work ethic and responsibility that they still carry with them.

In 1987, she moved into their new home that Larry built in Sagle, Idaho and went to work for Encoder Products for 10 years. Mary retired to take care of her mother, whom she had moved in with their family until her mother’s death. Mary then went on to make concrete artwork, focusing on flowers, leaves and trees, and sold her creations at the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market and other local craft venues for many years. She was very gifted at painting, ceramics and landscaping, creating beautiful flower and rock gardens, all of which could be enjoyed inside and outside her home. She also had a gift for taking in and raising orphaned animals, including birds, squirrels, cats and yes, even mice.

Mary will be remembered for her selflessness, creativity, generosity and sense of humor. She is survived by her husband, Larry, with whom she had recently celebrated 52 years of marriage; four children, Anthony (Elsa), Christopher, Rosemary and Ethan; three grandchildren, Christopher (Breanna), Adrian (Gabby), and Aiden; one great-grandchild, Charlie; Larry’s mother, Bernice; her brother, Jerry (Gayle) Weiszhaar, her sister, Catherine (Dean) Ritchie, and her brother, John (Judy) Weiszhaar; and many nieces and nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her mother, Christine Weiszhaar, and her father, Albert Weiszhaar.

Mary will be interred at Seneaquoteen Cemetery. There will be a celebration of life, the place and date of which will be published at a later date in the Daily Bee.

Family and friends are invited to sign Mary’s online guest book at coffeltfuneral.com.

A very special thanks to Bonner General Hospice and Larry’s sister, Kathleen Eldred, for their compassionate care throughout the final fifteen months of Mary’s life at her home.

Donations may be made to Panhandle Animal Shelter or to the charity of your choice.