Hollis Dean Owens

Hollis Dean Owens, born January 21, 1943 in Bonham, Texas and passed peacefully at home on September 7, 2025 in Lancaster, Texas. Big H, as he was known, was raised in the farming communities around Leonard and Wolfe City. He attended Justin F. Kimball High School in Oak Cliff where he was a star basketball player known throughout Dallas for his athletic ability. Shortly after graduation, he met the love of his life, Yvonne “Evie,” and they married on his birthday in 1962. Their son, Jeffrey, was born followed by their daughter, Michelle. He had a wide range of employment before starting his own trucking company, Owens Trucking, based in Lancaster. He retired in 2006. Big H was a master storyteller and prankster and was known for his laugh and good time personality. Hollis was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed camping, hunting, and fishing throughout his life. He had a lifelong passion for horses and spent many fun hours in the saddle. He continued playing basketball in gyms throughout Dallas in his 20s and in his later years enjoyed watching the Dallas Mavericks. He loved music of all types and spent hours listening to songs and passing them on to his friends. He was a connoisseur of all food, was always willing to try something new, and enjoyed an annual Fletcher’s Corn Dog at the State Fair. He loved spending time with his extended family during the holidays, inviting and hosting friends out at The Shop, riding his golf cart or 4 wheeler to visit neighbors, and was always and we mean always on his phone. Still, his greatest passion was friendship. He never met a stranger. His friend list increased with every new phase of his life. He is still close with childhood best friends. As part of the Kimball Class of 62, he was active in planning and attended every class reunion. His schoolmates are still some of his most loved. After moving to Lancaster, he set about making as many hometown friends as possible. In his 20s, he met a group of men at Southwestern Transportation that would become enduring friendships. With them, he worked side by side and then spent almost every weekend at Cedar Creek Lake living it up. When he started his company, he became close with a long list of people in the trucking industry in and around south Dallas. In retirement, he finally had time to spend with all these special people and spent the bulk of his retirement days calling, texting or visiting them. Big H was a big personality. While we feel his silence deeply, there is little doubt he is surrounded by many of the special friends gone before him and he is quickly giving them all the latest news. He was preceded in death by his parents, E.P. and Irene Owens, and three sisters, Betty Maples, Mary Tiffee, and Gwen Carroll. He is survived by his precious wife of 63 years, Yvonne “Evie;” his son, Jeffrey of San Antonio; his daughter, Michelle of Red Oak; a host of special nieces and nephews; and more friends than anyone can count. Family will receive friends on Thursday, September 11 from 5:00-7:00 pm at Byrum Funeral Home Chapel of Lancaster. Celebration of Life will be on Friday, September 12, at 10:00 am at First Baptist Church of Lancaster followed by interment at Edgewood Cemetery in Lancaster. Then, the family will host a celebration of his big life out at The Shop.

Hollis Dean Owens

January 21, 1943 - September 7, 2025