Charles Clifton 'Cliff' Owen, Jr.

Charles Clifton ""Cliff"" Owen, Jr., 80, of Winston-Salem, NC passed away Monday, December 1, 2012 at Forsyth Medical Center. Mr. Owen was born March 11, 1932 in Rowan County to the late Mary Baker Owen and Clifton Owen, Sr. He graduated from Boyden High School and attended the Citadel in Charleston, SC and North Carolina University in Chapel Hill, NC. After graduating from Carolina, he joined the US Air Force and became a pilot flying K.C. 97 refueling tanker. After retiring from the Air Force, he returned to Salisbury and became a pilot for Wagoner Construction Company and later becoming their project manager until his retirement. Cliff had a great love for wounded and lost animals and rescued many, finding them shelter and if needed medical help. He helped many homeless people by finding them a home or a place to stay. Helping Ministries was an organization, he highly supported. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Cheryl Porter Owen. Cliff is survived by his sister, Barbara Owen Leonard and brother, Samuel Kenneth Owen and wife Barbara, a daughter, Michelle ""Shelly"" Snider and many nieces and nephews. A Service will be held at a later date in Salisbury National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Forsyth County Humane Society, 61 Miller Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27104 or AARF (Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation), 311 Harvey Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.