Peyton, Owen H.

11/1/2013

JULY 25, 1945 – NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Owen H. Peyton was born July 25, 1945, the fifth child of Walter F. Peyton and Mildred B. Peyton. He had 3 older
half siblings: Diane, Virginia & Walter, another older brother Burt, and three younger siblings, Carolyn, Steve, and
Mike. Owen grew up in Shreveport, LA, where his family owned and operated a drugstore. Owen graduated from
C.E. Byrd High School in 1963. He had a brief stint of college at Centenary University before he was called into
service during the Vietnam War. Owen elected to join the U.S. Air force & served as a sergeant in the military
police. He was stationed in California, Vietnam, Hawaii, and the Philippines. Owen’s fond memories of his
childhood, time he spent overseas and in the military made a lasting impressions and he often used those experiences
in his sermons.

After his military service was complete, Owen returned home to Shreveport, where he took a job as a commercial
pressman for Graphic Industries. While working there he met his wife Belinda and they were married in 1975. They
lived in Shreveport but relocated a few years later to Heflin, LA where they planned to raise their family. In 1979
they had a daughter, Christi, followed by a son, Owen Jr. in 1981. Owen continued working as a pressman for the
next 20 years, and Belinda stayed home with their kids. Family prompted Owen the importance to be involved in
church. Raised as a United Methodist, he returned to his faith and his family joined First United Methodist Church
of Sibley, LA. For many years this was his home church, and while there he first got a calling to serve in the role of
a pastor through the friendship and mentoring of the late Reverend Jack Maxey.

In 1990, after much deliberation and prayer, Owen first served in a part time capacity at Antioch United Methodist
in Calhoun, LA, driving two hours each Sunday to the small church with his family to deliver God’s message. He
also began his studies in seminary at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas. He attended part time over the next few
years, packing up every summer to attend, keeping in touch with his family through letters and phone calls, and
making lifelong friends while there.

In 1991, Owen accepted his first full time appointment. He and his family moved from Heflin to Chatham, LA. For
the next few years, he led the congregations of the Chatham and Concord United Methodist Churches. Over the next
20 years other appointments followed. Owen and Belinda served Faithful and New River United Methodist
Churches in the St. Amant community; Downsville United Methodist and Bethel churches in Downsville, LA;
Vinton United Methodist Church; Lake Providence and Pioneer United Methodist Church. Owen also greatly
enjoyed his time in the Emmaus community, learning and leading from each retreat.

In 2012, Owen and Belinda decided to slow things down. They had grandkids they wanted to be able to spend time
with, as well as their now adult children and their spouses. Owen semi-retired but continued to serve once again part
time, now leading the Pine Grove and Wesley Chapel United Methodist Churches. He and Belinda bought a home in
Prairieville, LA, excited to start this next phase in their lives. All too soon however, Owen’s health started to
decline, and on November 1, 2013, he joined his heavenly family.

Owen is most sincerely missed by his family and his friends. His years of service brought him into the lives of so
many wonderful people that he felt blessed to be connected to. The legacy he left behind are the products of hard
work, loyalty to his faith, family, and friends, and love that touched each of us.

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, “Well done, good & faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few
things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter you into the joy of your lord”.