Lee E. Owens; Former Owner, President of Whittier Daily News
Lee E. Owens, 76, former owner and president of the Whittier Daily News, died May 2 of head injuries sustained in a fall in September.
The Owens family bought the Daily News in 1954 from the estate of the late editor and publisher Rex Kennedy. Owens joined the Whittier staff that year as a reporter and photographer and rose to become news editor, business manager and president of Owens Publications.
The family sold the paper in 1982 to the San Gabriel Valley Daily Tribune, but Owens stayed on for another 10 years as the associate publisher.
Well-known for his community work, he served for 22 years on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier, one of his favorite charities. He was also active in the Whittier Historical Society. Last year, Whittier named a new park in his honor.
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