Reginald Tisdale Owen, Jr.'s Obituary
Reginald “Reggie” Tisdale Owen, Jr., 82, of Reva, VA, passed away Sunday, May 25, 2025, at UVA Prince William Medical Center, after a brief illness.
Reggie was born November 10, 1942, to Reginald Tisdale Owen, Sr. and Inez Pearl Owen (Tapscott) at the Old Alexandria Hospital and joined his older brother, George, and his older sister, Patricia “Pat.”
In his early childhood, Reggie grew up in the John Roberts Community in Alexandria before moving to Burgundy Village. He made lifelong friends at John Roberts and would later attend JR reunions with his wife and daughters.
Reggie was active in the Alexandria Boys’ Club, where he participated in football, baseball, swimming, and other sports, and was the junior Golden Glove boxing champion.
Reggie attended George Washington High School in Alexandria before he left school to work odd jobs, including at the horse stables at Mount Vernon, to help out his family.
The day before he turned 18, Reggie enlisted in the US Navy. He served as a Seaman on the USS Biddle DDG-5 and was part of the Honor Guard to raise the flag during its DDG-5 Commissioning Ceremony. Reggie served on the USS Biddle during its deployment in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
After he was honorably discharged from the Navy, Reggie returned to Alexandria and started working as a truck driver for Jacobs Transfer, where he worked for over 25 years.
Soon after returning to Alexandria, Reggie met the love of his life, Cheryl Aileen Shepherd Owen, whom he married on October 20, 1965. During the first ten years of their marriage, they were blessed with 5 daughters: Cassandra, Melissa, Stacy, Tanya, and Erica.
After many years living in the Alexandria/Franconia area, Reggie, Cheryl, and his 5 girls moved to Lignum in Culpeper County, VA, to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams of owning a farm. Though he still commuted to Alexandria daily to drive a semi, he relished his time on the farm— tending a garden and taking care of an array of animals (chickens, pigs, cows, geese, rabbits, horses, pigeons, dogs, and cats). He loved being able to help his fellow farming neighbors with baling hay, which he generously donated his daughters’ time to assist with, or taking in orphaned animals.
Reggie had many hobbies over the years, including fishing. He loved to fish in a river on his long canoe trips with his friends down the Rappahannock, Rapidan, Potomac, and Shenandoah Rivers; join his brother, George, on Bluegill Tournaments on the Chesapeake Bay; or just fishing off the pier at Topsail Beach, NC, with his daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. In his early fishing adventures, he reeled in a barracuda, which he displayed in the home for many years. He enjoyed all types of fishing from reel and rod to fly fishing, and passed his love on to his daughters when he took them to the local fishing holes (Eley’s Ford and Raccoon Ford) to patiently teach them how to fish and prepare the catch of the day for cooking over an open flame.
Reggie was also an avid hunter and enjoyed being able to hunt deer, turkey, and squirrels with his friends (and sometimes his daughters). He had perfected the recipe for deer and gravy, which ingredients changed every time he prepared it.
Reggie was known for his annual pig roasts at the Lignum farm. It was always a reunion of family, childhood friends and their families, fellow work buddies and their families. All would converge on the farm as the pig roasted on the spit or in the ground (depending on Reggie’s preference at the time) and indulge in great food, good conversation, reminiscing about fond times, and making new memories with the next generation.
Reggie was also a devoted Washington Redskin fan, which he also instilled in his daughters. He attended many games during the Sam Huff and the Sonny Jurgensen years. He was always ready to share the tale of when he was watching the Redskins practice and after practice, he offered Sam Huff a beer and drove him, on the running board of the truck, from the practice field to the stadium. Reggie was elated when the Redskins went to the Super Bowl 4 times from 1982 to 1991, especially for their 3 Super Bowl wins.
After Reggie left Jacob’s Transfer, he continued to drive semis with friends’ companies and then with Cargill in Culpeper until he retired.
Reggie was known by many names through the years— Junior to some family, Tis to his friends and co-workers— but the names he cherished the most were Daddy, Grandpa, and Great Grandpa Owen.
Reggie is survived by: his brother, George Owen of Appomattox, VA; his sister, Patricia “Pat” Brian of Frederick, MD; his 5 daughters: Cassandra Marie Gore (Dean) of Reva, VA; Melissa Aileen Jones (Mike) of Reva, VA; Stacy Lynn Owen of Fredericksburg, VA; Tanya Michele McKaige (Kevin) of Palmyra, VA; and Erica Lesley Woodward (Jeff) of Elkwood, VA; nine of his ten grandchildren: Owen Gore (Ashley) of Madison, VA; Christopher Cunningham (CeCelia) of Tatum, TX; Olivia Carver (Aaron) of Culpeper, VA; Tyler McKaige of Culpeper, VA; Laurel Green of Culpeper, VA; Tori McKaige (Thomas Crawford) of Palmyra, VA; Nicholas Green of Ohio; Brandon McKaige of Palmyra, VA; Charley Woodward of Elkwood, VA; and 10 great grandchildren: Marleigh and Meredith Gore; Audrey and Caroline Carver; Adrian and Elijah Cunningham; Dallas McKaige; Zaiden, Dexter, and Kairi Crawford. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and his grand-dog, Maximus “Max”.
Reggie was preceded in death by his parents, Reginald and Inez; his wife of over 35 years, Cheryl (whom he has missed immensely the last 24 years); his father-in-law, Matthew Newton; his mother-in-law, Aileen Newton; his brothers-in-law, Alexander “Rocky” Shepherd, III, and Lawrence “Larry” Shepherd, Sr.; all his maternal and paternal uncles and aunts; several cousins; his nephews, Dennis Brian and Lawrence "Little Larry" Shepherd, Jr.; and his grandson, Kevin Anthony McKaige, Jr.
Reggie and Cheryl built an incredible life together, and both left their marks on their families and the legacy they created. We know that when Reggie arrived at the pearly gates of Heaven, he was greeted by Cheryl, his parents, other family members, his nephew, and his grandson. And his friends were waiting there with cold beer and fishing rods to go find the perfect fishing hole to reminisce on the good “ole” days.
A graveside service will be held on Monday, June 2, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Culpeper National Cemetery, 305 U.S. Ave., Culpeper, VA, with Pastor Brad Hales officiating.
An online guestbook and tribute wall are available at www.foundandsons.com.
Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is serving the family.
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