Gerard L. "Jerry" Owens

Gerard L. “Jerry” Owens, 72, of Berwick, died Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Hazleton.  Born in Amityville, NY on October 30, 1952, he was a son to the late James G. and Doris T. (Rybacki) Owens.

Jerry grew up in Long Island, NY, eventually settling at the Owens home in Bayport, LI, NY. He attended Seton Hall High School. Jerry attended several colleges, including Ripon College, WI and St. John’s University, NY to name a few. He led in the spheres of social interaction and networking at every institution he attended before deciding to join his father in growing and developing the family business. He eventually became President and CEO of Rotech Electronics, Farmingdale, NY and Berwick, PA. Small but innovative, Jerry led a small team at Rotech Electronics to create and manufacture component parts for clients including NASA, Lockheed Martin, Allied Signal, and Grumman among others. His proudest professional achievement was making parts for the space shuttles and still has parts functioning in the gyroscopes of the Hubble Space Telescope to this day. He worked for PPL later in life. Jerry had a lifelong love for music, starting early in life, and loved to sing, carrying on to his elder years. He was part of a select St. Kilian’s Boys’ Choir, along with his brother, Jimmy. They were featured in one of the historical “Young Peoples Concerts”. The choir was conducted by the renowned musical mind of Leonard Bernstein at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY. Later in life, he was in attendance for legendary concerts of Thelonius Monk, The Doors on a revolving stage in the Long Island Theatre at Westbury 1968, and the famous 1973 Summer Jam at Watkins Glen (featuring The Grateful Dead, The Band, and the Allman Brothers Band), as well as supporting and attending the Briggs Farm Blues Festival. Jerry spent a lot of time in Long Island, NY and the Lake Winnipesaukee and the lesser Lakes region of New Hampshire, then lived the later part of his life in Berwick, PA.  He learned a lot from his travels to Spain and Portugal as a young man and enjoyed a family cruise to the Caribbean as an adult. Jerry loved athletics including sailing, swimming, equestrian (with renowned skills at breaking even the most willful of horses), baseball, softball, deep-sea fishing, golf, and bowling (competitive in many leagues with his popular team, “Jerry’s Kids”). Jerry was a hardworking and dedicated father.  He was a coach, teacher, and motivator to compete in life and thirst for knowledge. His constant generosity to his children and grandchildren will never be forgotten. Jerry was a proud member of the Sayville Yacht Club, Berwick Golf Club (Elected to the board once by write-in vote), Berwick Lions Club, Salvation Army, and several other service organizations throughout his life, serving most recently as a regular lector at Immaculate Conception BVM Church in Berwick, PA. He was active politically throughout his later years reading ferociously and teaching many. He was a lifelong fan of the NY Yankees, Rangers, and Giants.  Jerry was an active gardener and studied Catholic theology including the works of St. Thomas Equinas until his last day. Jerry found peace in the Roman Catholic Church. He was a man’s man that everyone enjoyed talking to.  His magnetic presence and natural abilities in conversation touched the lives of nearly anyone he interacted with.  Pop- Pop will look out for all of us from Heaven.

Surviving Jerry are his sons: James P. Owens and wife, Chelsea, of Bloomsburg, Gerard P. Owens of Bloomsburg, and Connor R. Owens and wife, Mayara, of Lancaster; daughter, Bridget T. Poland and husband David, of Germany; grandchildren:  Aedan P. Owens, Kendal T. Owens, Rhys B. Owens, Atley J. Davis, and Ryan L. Owens (on the way); and sisters: Kathryn A. Datz and husband, Larry, of NY, and Judith M. Boquist of NH.

In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by his brother, James M. Owens, and former spouse, Kendal (Gallie) Owens.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 12 Noon, Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at Immaculate Conception BVM Church, 1730 Fowler Avenue, Berwick, with his pastor, Rev. William T. Barbee officiating as Celebrant. His viewings will be 5:05 PM – 7:05 PM Tuesday, May 6, at the Kelchner, McMichael & Readler Funeral Home, Inc., 119-121 E. Third Street, Berwick, and from 11 AM until the time of the Mass on Wednesday, May 7, at Immaculate Conception BVM Church.  Interment at Pine Grove Cemetery Annex, Walnut Street, will follow.  Online messages of comfort and support may be left at www.kelchnerfuneralhome.com.